A New Life
by EternalSorrow
Summary: Sequel to A Different Meeting. The dealings of Alucard's past and the new challenges of Seras' future. AxS
1. Unexpected Consequences

A/N: Yes, here is the sequel. The majority called and I answered, lol. This will start directly after the story "A Different Meeting," though the storyline will obviously be different from the last. Also, the updates for this story will only come when I have no other updates for my other stories. Anyway, hope its meets with everyone's expectations.

Disclaimer: After all these stories, I still don't own Hellsing.

**A New Life**

Unexpected Consequences

Seras Victoria awoke the following evening with some reluctance. The young vampire was comfortable in her area of the coffin, sweet memories of the previous night rising to her mind. Lazily shifting over, she noticed a distinct absence. She slowly opened her eyes, only to meet with the empty space where her lover had once lain.

Using her newly heightened senses, Seras quickly found Alucard in the library. Her brows met in confusion, wondering what he could be doing in that room of all places. She knew he rarely went in there, if at all, from the amount of undisturbed dust she'd noticed on her last excursion into the room.

Sitting up with a slight shot of pain from her abdomen, Seras looked down at herself and realized she needed to find her clothes. She also noted the disappearance of her previous night's changing, her hair having returned to its striped style and normal length. Her skin was once more the pale hue she had obtained since her turning and she could only assume any other changes had reverted back to her now normal state, considering a mirror was not on hand nor did she know what other changes had occurred during last night's fun.

As she rose from the coffin the young vampire idly wondered if she could call the transformation by sheer will, though the probably slight since she had rarely seen even Alucard change into the form. After several minutes of exploration, she managed to find all the articles Alucard had thrown from the coffin. A blush came to her face when she held up the tattered shirt, not realizing how energetic their fun had been.

Seras pulled on the outfit and decided to see if her powers had changed. Concentrating on repairing the damaged cloths, she felt the seems and stitches meld together. The process barely took more than a few seconds, causing a proud smile to appear on her face. Her powers were easier to manage, a combination of training, willpower, and Alucard's blood now flowing freely through her veins.

Appearing in the room with assistance from her black portal, Seras' eyes widened in shock at what she saw. The room was in worse condition than when she had last seen the contents. Books were strewn everywhere, clouds of dust hung about like draperies, and the odor of mold was almost overpowering.

Peering through the dust-induced fog, she spotted Alucard standing in front of one of the large bookshelves. Apparently so engrossed in the book he held, the master vampire was unaware of her presence. With a sly smile on her face, she crept toward him, carefully using the abilities he had given her to remain completely silent.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to reach out and tap him on the shoulder Seras' nose suddenly began to tingle. She began to sneeze uncontrollably, catching Alucard's attention and bringing her fun to an abrupt halt.

Alucard stared at his former fledgling in amusement as she tried desperately to control her body's involuntary action, failing miserably. With a small chuckle, he closed the book he held and placed the volume on a growing pile beside him. By this time Seras had managed to gain some reign over her nose and was staring at him questionably, her eyes still filled with tears from her sudden fit.

"Were you trying to sneak up on me, Seras?" Alucard asked, looking forward and seizing another book from a shelf. The vampire smirked when he heard another sneeze to his right.

"Maybe" was the answer given, as he felt arms wrap around his waist. He stiffened, turning to meet the mischievous eyes of his child.

"What are you doing?" Seras asked curiously, trying to peer at the book he held. She couldn't read the language, nor did she even recognize the alphabet used.

"Research" Alucard said, his eyes turning back to the open page.

Seras sighed, realizing he wasn't willing to give any information until he found what he sought. The young vampire moved to the desk, mindful of the clouds of dust, and sat herself down in the large chair. She noticed a bottle of blood and two wine glasses next to the container, and poured herself a glass.

Seras leaned back in her chair, watching as Alucard shifted through the books. She sipped the blood, letting the aged nourishment run through her mouth as she absently opened her senses to the room. Noticing a distinctively different entity in the room, she focused on the aura within the close vicinity. Her eyes flew open when her vampiric ability showed the location to be herself.

"_Have you forgotten so quickly?" _Alucard asked, not looking from his book.

Seras gasped and her hand flew to her stomach, nearly upsetting the glass in her other hand. She'd entirely forgotten what had begun their heated tryst the previous evening and even now hardly believed the truth, though she could feel the new life within her. Doubt filled her mind with the full force of the revelation, with the young mother suddenly wondering what Alucard truly thought of the matter.

A deep chuckle resounded through the room, making Seras snap her head to attention. Alucard was peering at her, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Need you ask, Seras?" he questioned, amusement and pride in his voice.

Seras' face lit up with a smile, then her mood switched dramatically with the relief. The young No-Life Queen fumed at the intrusion into her thoughts, supposing he would give her some privacy. She couldn't imagine why he would read her mind when he could merely ask her what she was thinking.

"Why not? I have everything else" he stated, putting down the book in his hand and grabbing another.

Seras blushed at his words, though she couldn't deny them. The young vampire was after all carrying his child, and was still connected to him by his blood. Then a sudden revelation came to her, and she decided to interrupt his exploration for a moment.

"Alucard, why aren't there more vampire children?" Seras asked, stifling another sneeze.

"Because fledglings often kill their masters for power" he answered, not looking up from the pages. "And most vampires are lone predators, wanting neither company nor competition."

Alucard suddenly grinned, closing the book with a loud snap. He seemed amused at what he'd found, and Seras was apprehensive about asking. Walking over to the desk, he sat down on the corner to her left, peering into her eyes.

"I have been looking through my library for your...condition" he said, obvious glee in his voice. "And I have found many interesting facts."

"What?" Seras asked hesitantly. The glee in his voice and the mystery of his finds was making her uneasy.

"Your new state has several interesting...consequences" Alucard explained, his eyes not leaving her own. "You will need to drink more blood, especially warm, fresh blood." he said, his grin growing wider at her paled face.

"What else is there?" she asked, pushing the glass of blood away from her. She'd suddenly lost her appetite, not expecting to hunt humans so quickly after their return from London.

"A vampire's pregnancy lasts according to the strength of the partners. With a more powerful coupling, the child will be born quickly" his eyes watching her reaction to blood carefully, a slight tinge of irritation in their depths. "Though exactly how long remains to be seen" he added with a chuckle.

Seras' eyes widened in surprise, her hand rubbing her stomach thoughtfully. She wasn't sure how she felt about these new conditions of life and wondered if she would be able to handle them. Human mood swings with prolonged pregnancies were intimidating to say the least, but the pressure of carrying the child so quickly would produce very wild mood swings.

But then a smile came upon her lips, making Alucard raise an eyebrow. She did have her mate here to help with the difficult periods, even if it killed him...

Alucard suddenly stood and offered his hand to her. "Care for a walk? This room is quite disturbed with dust, and the moon is beautiful tonight."

Seras nodded, taking his hand and letting him guide her from the room.


	2. External Problems

A/N: Finally finished the second chapter. No idea where I'm headin' with this story but an outline is starting to form. Thanks for waiting everyone!

External Problems

The pale moon shown high over the mountains surrounding the old castle, enveloping two figures situated on the front lawn. A pair of large hounds lay in the deep grass, their dark fur glistening in the light of the orb in the sky. The smaller of the two was on its side, eyes closed and body relaxed. The other held one paw over the stomach of the first, its tongue affectionately cleaning the neck of its mate. A deep purring could be heard from the larger beast, a sound vibrating in the air and effectively soothing the first.

Suddenly the larger dog stopped his ministrations, his ears perking up dangerously as all six of his eyes trained on one spot before them. He stood and growled lowly, his hackles raised an he bared his teeth. His mate rolled to her stomach, her eyes showing the expression of confusion at his change in demeanor. Then he was standing before her smaller body, blocking her view of what was bothering him. She tried to shift her position to gain a better view around him but he growled at her movements, effectively stopping her curiosity.

Soon, however, the male hound lowered his defenses slightly as the intruder came into sight, his growl fading into the air as he sat down.

"_Alucard, who is it?" _the smaller beast asked curiously, moving to his side.

"_It appears we have a visitor, Seras" _the larger dog answered, amusement in his tone.

Seras watched as a small dog similar to a greyhound appeared at the edge of the border of the meadow and approached them, literally crawling toward the couple. The young vampire instinctually recognized the degrading walk as a sign of submission, making her curious as to whom the person was. When the new canine was within a few yards of where they stood it slowly rolled over, revealing the tender belly to show who was the more highly praised.

Alucard trotted up to the dog and sat a foot from where the other lay, his face alight with as much grin as the form would allow.

"_Do you intend to lie there the entire night, or do you wish to have your say?" _he asked telepathically.

At first the strange beast did not comply, the single pair of eyes flitting nervously between the two other canines. However, seeing no hostile movements from either vampires the dog slowly stood and sat on its hind legs.

"_I don't wish to harm either of you" _the beast replied, the voice showing the stranger to be male. _"I have merely come to give news to my lord" _he spoke, obviously addressing the master vampire in high esteem in order to gain grace.

Darkness slowly swirled around Alucard, parting only seconds later to show the vampire once more in his human form. Seras quickly followed suit, regaining her appearance and standing beside the elder nosferatu.

"Speak quickly or leave" Alucard hissed, causing the stranger to flinch. He liked little those who used flattery to gain trust and was not fooled by the vampire's respectful title. Any threat to his mate and child would be dealt with harshly, including treachery. However, he would wait to see what the person wanted before deciding to kill him for trespassing upon his lands.

"_If you wish"_ the canine spoke, slightly bowing his head. A dark shadow pooled at the stranger's feet and his own figure appeared in a few moments.

Seras observed the male closely, wondering at his odd appearance. The stranger's form was that of a mid twenty year old, thin brown hair cut short around his pale face and yellow eyes peering at them. He wore a thick black shirt with narrow shoulders, a dark pair of pants with slightly flared bottoms snug around his waist. The young vampire merely watched the two silently, following the discussion but choosing not to join. She could clearly see Alucard was going to enjoy playing with the young man's mind and didn't wish to ruin his fun with a badly timed word.

"As I said before, I have come with news" the boy spoke, watching their reactions to his words carefully. "But if you will, I've come to ask for your help, my lord" he added slowly, lowering his eyes in respect.

Alucard moved away from Seras and strolled around the young male,

"First, boy, what is your name?" he asked, his tone showing he only wished to know how to address him.

"Michael, my lo-...sir" the young vampire quickly responded, changing his words at noticing Alucard snarl toward the high title. "I was born in the year of our lord seventeen ninety-two and was turned at the age of twenty-four."

Alucard waved off the information on his dark birth and merely looked over the young man, his eyes unreadable as they were hidden behind his dark glasses. He stopped his inspections before the boy vampire, as he considered him, and appeared to be appraising his face. Michael squirmed under his gaze until he suddenly scented the air, looking toward Seras in shock. A choked sound of surprise escaped his lips as his eyes descended to lock on the young vampire's stomach, his gaze riveted to her body as if she were some sort of miracle. He rudely gaped at her figure for a long moment, catching himself as he heard the low growl of her mate warning him to watch his actions.

"I was not aware female vampires were able to produce offspring" he whispered, a strange tinge of expectancy within his words.

"Do you also believe vampires eat feces?" Alucard asked sarcastically, glaring at the boy. He well knew the boy gawking so boldly at his mate was a natural reaction, but the master vampire liked little the attention of any male on what was his.

The young male vampire blushed as well as their kind could, his obvious lack of their customs slightly embarrassing. Then his eyes brightened as he recalled why he had come to the master vampire.

"I have brought news from the vampire world, sir" Michael spoke turning his attention back to the elder vampire. "And I believe some concern your mate" he said, gesturing toward the confused form of Seras.

"What have you heard?" Alucard ordered, raising a brow at the boy's words.

"Elizabeth Bathory is a name which I believe you are familiar with" Michael spoke. "She was once thought to be invincible when she was created."

"The only reason she was not killed sooner was her connections to Poland's royal family, nothing more" Alucard snarled. His disdain for those who relied too heavily on their connections was evident, forcing the guest to realize he needed to be wary of the words he spoke in these conversations.

"She had been causing quite a bit of grief for the vampires in the old world. There is no longer an elder to destroy her now that she has killed her last mate" he spoke, watching Alucard's reaction carefully. Seeing no sign of bother to the news of an elder vampire's death, he continued with his narrative. "She apparently wishes to control the lands she once owned as a human, though how we do not know. After all, her lands now lie within mostly civilized country and merely taking the property would cause quite a stir in the news."

"And you want me to destroy her for you?" Alucard asked, disgust evident in his tone. "What reason can you give for me to leave both my bride and my child?"

"She has heard rumors of a child being born, a child sired by two vampires" Michael answered slowly, looking to Seras. "She has spoken much of this strange phenomenon and I believe she wishes to speak with your lady."

Alucard's head snapped to attention toward the boy, his lips curled into a snarl and a low growl escaping his throat. He swiftly marched over to Michael and took hold of his shirt's collar, lifting him to face height. The young male struggled in his grasp, grasping the arms holding him in a futile attempt to dislodge the stranglehold.

"Explain or I will tear your head from your body" he growled, grinning at the small tremor of fear running through the boy vampire.

"She wants to see how your mate was able to be with child" Michael managed to choke out. "I know nothing more."

Alucard stared at the boy for a moment longer and then promptly dropped Michael to the ground, an unusual grin on his face. Seras recognized the smirk and inwardly shivered at the coming days, remembering where she had seen this particular amusement. Her sire only used the specific grin when he was about to face an interesting, and possibly deadly, challenge, one she more than likely had no chance of fighting. Such a threat to her child was not what she would have liked so early in her pregnancy, or any time during her unlife.

"If she wishes to harm my mate, then I will have no choice but to destroy her" Alucard spoke calmly, apparently unperturbed by the obvious threat. "But I have a command for you."

"What is it you ask?" Michael slowly questioned, narrowing his eyes at the elder vampire.

"I wish to have a companion of sorts for my young bride" Alucard spoke, gesturing toward Seras while his eyes locked with Michael's. "Do you know where I might find such a trustworthy female compatriot?"

Michael's eyes lit with understanding and he carefully thought for a long moment on the task assigned to him, wishing to show his honor by choosing a worthy companion for the elder vampire. Suddenly a wide grin spread across his face, slowly beginning to nod his head. He looked between the two with an amused gleam in his eyes.

"I believe I may have the perfect female in mind" he spoke, obvious glee in his voice. "I will have to fetch her for your mate's use, but tomorrow evening I will return with her."

Alucard nodded his head and turned toward the castle, signaling the end to their discussion. Michael bowed slightly before returning to his familiar form, bounding off into the dark to complete his new errand.

Seras angrily spun around toward the retreating figure of the elder vampire, a frown on her face and her knuckles clenched at her sides. She stomped after his form and boldly grabbed the back of his coat, pulling him to a stop and turning him to face her ire.

"Alucard, how could you just hand me over to a total stranger!" Seras hissed, looking ready to dislodge his head from his shoulders. She disliked being led into circumstances with such little regard for her opinion, especially since she would now be forced to spend her free time with a total stranger.

"You assume I would not read his thoughts before making such a decision, Seras?" Alucard chuckled, raising a hand and tenderly stroking her cheek. "This female sounds promising for fun" he added, resting his hand on her lower back and leading her back to their home.

Seras' stomach suddenly growled loudly, showing the two she had not yet eaten enough for her new condition. The young vampire blushed and broke from her mate, turning to Alucard and giving him a mischievous smile.

"Care to help feed me, Alucard?" she slyly asked, moving back to the castle.

Alucard grinned and took his glasses from off his face, watching the young vixen teasingly swaying her hips. The night would indeed be promising.


	3. New Arrival

A/N:Kiyuu-chan, a very long time ago you asked for someone to be put in and I finally found a place for your character. Hope the characterization is up to standards. And to lazy cat: I can do that, should be fun.

New Arrival

The next night, Seras was rather rudely awoken from her sleep. Her eyes opened in a flash as she suddenly clutched her stomach, gritting her teeth as an aching feeling rested within her abdomen. She slowly sat up in the coffin, noticing with a start Alucard still unmoving by her side. She softly groaned as another wave of nausea hit her, realizing what was wrong with her.

_Evening sickness, how wonderful _Seras thought sarcastically, as her stomach rolled inside her. She scowled at the male resting next to her, her anger flaring up at his undisturbed sleep while she sat there being miserable; especially since this was his fault.

A sly grin crept across Seras' face as the possibilities of her position slowly crept into her mind, Creeping over Alucard's unmoving form, she was careful not to touch him as she leant her head close to his ear. With a smirk reminiscent of her former master's, she inhaled a large breath and suddenly screamed into his sensitive organ.

"**Alucard**!"

The elder vampire woke up with a jerk, nearly knocking his head into Seras' as she quickly pulled away. He glared at his mate, knowing well by the barely audible giggling she was the cause of his sudden wakefulness. He lifted his body to a sitting position and scowled at the entertained vampire, a growl echoing in his throat as her amusement showed no signs of slackening.

Seras caught her breath as she heard his low growl, her eyes widening at the threatening sound. With a small 'eep' she exited the large coffin, feeling Alucard's nails drag the back of her legs as she dived headfirst to the ground. With a small giggle at the prospect of a game of tag she ran through the closed door and out into the catacombs.

Alucard watched her go for a moment, his lips curling in an amused smirk as he easily lifted himself out of the bed. He would give her a decent head start, being she had the disadvantage of age and skills. After a few moments he finally grew impatient and teleported into the long hallway outside their 'bedroom', searching around for his wayward female. Catching her lingering scent moving down the corridor, a predatory gleam entered his eyes as he stalked his little mate.

Seras' habitual breathing was coming out in pants of amusement as she quickly climbed the remaining steps into the main portion of the castle, looking behind her every now and then to see if Alucard was catching. Literally moving through the thick door at the top of the stairs, she looked around for a moment to gain her bearings and wondered which way to go. She had not had time to explore the castle thoroughly, an inaction she now cursed herself for as the young female decided her best option would be to go to the library.

Turning her footsteps in the direction of the familiar room, Seras suddenly sensed an ominous presence rising the stairs behind her. With a small, strangled squeak she began running down the corridor and straight through the main hall, not bothering looking behind her as she found the doors leading into the library. As she slipped into the silent room she heard the distinct opening of the door down the hall and her blood chilled at the sound of the unused hinges. The female wrung her hands together nervously as she peered around the piles of books with some suspicion, slowly edging her way to the center of the library. She turned toward the double doors with a slight trembling, feeling the presence making their way down the hall in her direction.

The vampire frantically looked around for a way to escape and her eyes came upon the latches upon the windows. Running to one of the large glasses, she worked the lock quickly and swung open the window as the door's knob began to turn. Without so much as a glance backward she flung herself out the window and landed some dozen feet away, vaulting off the earth and beginning to run toward the woods surrounding the castle.

The sudden sense of a presence moving around her caused Seras to halt her movements and turn in another direction, now veering to the left to escape her hunter. She had just managed to reach the front entrance when she was abruptly tackled to the ground, a scream ripping from her throat as she struggled against the heavy object pushing her into the soft grass.

Then a familiar laughter floated to her ears and Seras looked into the grinning face of a very amused Alucard. In the next moment a loud sound of flesh hitting flesh resounded through the air, the female glaring at the male as the imprint of her hand slowly faded from his pale skin.

"What the bloody hell did you think you were doing!" Seras yelled, trying to calm her still erratic thoughts. "You nearly scared me to my grave!"

"Merely practice" the male explained, chuckling at her disheveled appearance. "You will have to hunt soon, and I was merely honing your skills" Alucard whispered against her ear, moving lower to nuzzle her neck. "The child will insist on being fed from a living source."

Through the trembling nerves and hazy mind, Seras realized Alucard's findings on her condition were correct. She could feel a gnawing in her stomach, though the previous night she had more than her fill of blood. The stored blood was enough to handle her hunger, but the growing child's thirst wasn't quenched from the type of cold nourishment she had partaken in. And she could feel his hunger, an ever incessant needing for the liquid.

Seras suddenly turned her head at the sound of a polite cough behind them, her gaze meeting with the familiar eyes of the vampire from the previous evening. She blushed at the compromising position Michael had found them in, trying unsuccessfully to remove the heavy burden atop her person. After a rather harsh push Alucard grudgingly stood, offering his hand as she also rose to her feet. The young vampire gave him a scathing glare, knowing well he had probably sensed the boy's approach and had done nothing to stop their 'game'.

"Miss Seras Victoria" Michael said, waiting until they had looked presentable to begin his introductions. He gestured toward a companion Seras had not noticed before, her mind otherwise...occupied moments before. "I would like you to meet Rip Van Winkle."

Seras looked to the unusual person standing beside the male vampire, her curiosity peeked at the idea of meeting another female vampire. Rip's red eyes stared at her with some mild apprehension, her long black hair accentuating her pale face and moving elegantly behind her as a lazy breeze blew past their figures. A pair of large rimmed glasses continuously slipped down her small nose, causing the young vampire to constantly push them back to their proper place. Seras inwardly wondered why the vampire wore them at all, the heightened sense of sight more than compensating for any disabilities before the turning. Her clothing was similar to a formal business suit, with matching tie and shoes completing the ensemble.

What surprised Seras the most was the object behind the new vampire. A large gun appeared to be strapped to her back, the barrel as long as they were tall and an old-fashioned handle carved out of wood creating the butt end. With the apparent appearance of the weapon, the female assumed the gun to be a very old flint rifle and wondered why "Rip" would carry such a ridiculous looking object around with her; though the young vampire sheepishly remembered a certain cannon resting comfortably in the coffin room below the castle.

The two females stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking nor moving. Then Rip did a small bow, sweeping her hand below her and giving a small grin. Seras returned the compliment, though rather more stiffly than her counterpart, and then stood quietly beside her mate.

"However, there is one problem" Michael continued, eying the master vampire nervously. "She has no coffin to sleep in" the boy informed, turning toward Alucard with some hint of pleading. "Do you have one which she may use?"

"No" Alucard answered bluntly, watching the two females eye each other curiously. The lack of immediate bickering was encouraging, but neither appeared to know what to say to the other. Uncomfortable company made for poor companions. "But perhaps these two would be willing to fetch a coffin for the female while we discuss matters."

"We will have to fly" Rip commented to Seras, giving her a wide grin.

Seras was slightly started to hear a thick German accent flowing from her companion's mouth, though her english grammar was perfect. Then she groaned, thinking such a way of traveling would not be a good idea. Her stomach was already rebelling against her and the thought of flying was filling her mouth with distasteful blood bile. She had also yet to have any blood for the evening and was nervous about moving around humans in her state; she didn't wish to kill an innocent vampire out of hunger.

"I don't think that's such a good idea" Seras replied, tentatively holding her aching belly. Then an idea brightened her face, one which solved both Rip and her own bodily dilemmas. "We can't carry the coffin back with us by flying, so maybe we could get a wagon." She inwardly winced at the idea of contacting a human but knew Alucard would not allow her to merely return to the castle and leave their new guest to fend for herself. He had expressly ordered the hunt for a coffin and she had little doubt he would force her.

"It will work" Rip said, rubbing her hand against her chin and nodding her head in agreement to Seras' words.

Michael suddenly stepped between the two women, holding his palm out toward Rip with a stern face. Seras looked confused for a moment before she saw the dark-haired vampire grudgingly remove the large gun from behind her, placing the musket within the boy's hand. Then pushing her glasses back upon her nose with a hint of annoyance, she swiftly turned in the direction of the nearest cottage and began walking.

"Well, we will have to take a wagon and drive to the village."

"Wait! I didn't say anything about stealing!" Seras protested, her eyes widening in shock at what she had unintentionally implied. The young vampire followed the other with a sense of dread, knowing the night was going to be a disaster.

"Sir, I don't believe what you just decided was such a wise idea" Michael said, watching the two females leave with some dread. "Rip can be quiet...unpredictable, even without her gun. She will cause trouble in the village."

"Do not question my decisions, boy" Alucard said, his eyes shifting to the vampire beside him. "Now, we have business to discuss and the night will not last forever." With those words the elder vampire turned and proceeded to the entrance of the castle, though casting one last, unnoticed glance toward the retreating figures entering the forest.


	4. Tromp Through the Village

A/N: Thanks for the tips Kiyuu-chan! I changed her voice in the first chapter and let's see how well I can keep with her character. Thanks everyone for reading!

Tromp Through the Village

Seras followed the girl known to her as Rip as they made their way through the dense forests to the nearest house, shaking her head as she thought of what they were about to do. She could not for the life of her understand where the vampire leading her had decided to steal a wagon from what she considered a neighbor, but knew the was not going to bo welcome by the unknowing participant.

Seras grew nervous in the silence between them, fidgeting slightly as she peered at their surroundings. The quiet woods echoed with the sounds of night's creatures, nocturnal predators on the hunt and prey scurrying about for escape. Though she was herself a child of the darkness, she still wasn't accustomed to the gloomy atmosphere settled around her. Rather than keeping her attention on the cool night, she looked to her companion with some apprehension. The young woman by her side didn't appear to be of the talkative type, her eyes staring straight forward as they marched on.

"Is there, um, any particular kind of coffin you like?" Seras asked, failing miserably with her topic of conversation. The only answered she received was a swift shake of the head and a quickening of steps, apparently showing the little liking to the broken silence. However, the young vampire didn't wish to be left with such a mute and unknown companion, and decided to switch conversations.

"Did you want to be my...companion?" Seras asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer. She inwardly grimaced as the vampire visibly stiffened for a moment before returning to her usual posture.

"I go where I am ordered" Rip simply replied, pushing up the bridge of her glasses as a sign of nervousness.

"Ordered?" Seras repeated with confusion. Then her face lit up as she realized whom had commanded her, her surprised eyes turning to the dark-haired vampire. "Michael is your master, isn't he?" Receiving an affirmative nod she continued with her inquiry, hoping to at least prod some knowledge of her companion. "How long have you been a vampire?"

"A long time" was the blunt and vague reply, as they had finally come within view of a dwelling.

Seras grimaced as a hungry look appeared in Rip's eyes, her teeth being bared in an insane grin. She watched with horror as she slowly began to approach the lit house, a wagon with a steed beside the structure and voices floating out through an open window. Apparently guests had arrived and were staying within the structure, enjoying merriment and the company of their host.

"Don't kill anyone" Seras pleadingly whispered, jumping as the vampire abruptly stopped and turned to her.

"Why?" Rip asked, a slightly puzzled expression on her face.

Seras sighed quietly and crossed her arms, attempting to think of a valid reason the inhuman creature before her would agree with. After a long pause filled with tense silence in which she chose her words wisely, she finally spoke.

"Because we'll attract attention" she happily chirped, glad to have found a reason they could both adhere to. "Too many bodies at once might cause the villagers to wreck the castle" she reasoned, nodding her head as the phrase made sense even in her own mind.

Rip looked between Seras and the shining cottage for a moment before slowly nodding her head, now cautiously approaching the building as a hunter would their prey. Slipping under the open window and creeping toward the horse, her eyes locking with the steed's own as she silently sidled up beside the stirring beast. For one horrible moment the blond vampire thought the horse would whinny and alert the occupants to its capture but Rip took handle of the situation, calming the horse by whispering soothing words and stroking the muzzle.

After a short moment Rip gestured for Seras to come over, carefully grabbing the reins and climbing onto the box. The young vampire followed, walking out of sight line of the window and seating herself beside the dark-haired vampire. With a soft whip of the reins and a sharp turn the two headed for the lights twinkling in the distance, both intent on finishing their journey before the owners of the horse and wagon, or any villager, happened to notice.

Needless to say, the casket maker of the village had been busy over the years with the number of victims appearing around the countryside thanks to Alucard's feedings. Therefore, the two vampires had little difficulty finding the establishment, the low, wide building jutting out prominently from the smaller structures. Rip settled the vehicle along the door behind the shop, jumping off the box and comforting the still uneasy horse before stepping up to the door.

Seras watched with curiosity as the young vampire knocked on the door, the noise loud enough to alert the proprietor but not enough to attract attention from elsewhere. Slowly she heard footsteps along the floor, followed by muttered curses and finally a bolt was thrown back. The door cautiously opened, two bright eyes looking to the small figures of the two women with mild suspicion.

"What do you want?" a gruff, scratchy voice asked.

"A coffin" Rip replied bluntly before slamming open the door and effectively trapping the human between the portal and the wall. She strode over to a few dark shapes piled in a corner, moving them around and opening the lids of the caskets. "Do you have one with a soft pad?" she asked absently, as if she were looking for a suitable dress in a normal store.

The man behind the door did not hear her questioning, his efforts to slide out from behind the heavy portal and the boldness of his 'customer' taking him off balance. The owner of the shop took a moment to right his footing, the blow to the wall having given him a sound knock on the head, and then proceeded to gape at the young woman moving over the merchandise. However, his face soon turned to anger and he strode angrily over to Rip, grabbing her by the shoulder and attempting to whip her around to face him.

Unfortunately for the mortician, before he so much as blinked he found his hand effectively crushed in the strong grip and the red eyes of a devil staring into his own. Rip, remembering for a moment her companions plea to not harm humans, threw the man away from her. The two faced off, the man holding his wrist with his other hand as he glared at the young woman.

Seras, who had climbed down from the wagon after Rip had entered the shop, watched the proceedings with increasing anxiety. When she observed the tense interactions between the two other occupants of the building she realized she would need to take charge of the situation, to avoid attracting attention as much as to save the human.

She only hoped this would work.

Stepping between the angered vampire and the furious, albeit scared, owner, Seras turned to face the glaring man. Her eyes looked directly into his own, locking his gaze as she attempted to enter his mind much the same way she had entered her own to find her darker side. A small smile of triumph crept across her face as she felt his thoughts drift toward her, his face becoming impassive as he lost himself to her control. Now she would see how much action she would be able to create from her bond.

"You will do nothing more to stop us" Seras spoke slowly, marveling at how her voice seemed to echo around the room. "And you will forget about our visit" she said as an afterthought, realizing they would find trouble from the villagers if he were to tell them of the vampires' visit.

Seras grinned when the man obediently nodded his head, turning his back on the two and marching up a flight of stairs which apparently led to the sleeping quarters. With a sigh of relief she returned her eyes to her companion, shaking her head as she noticed the other vampire's attention had shifted back to the coffins.

Stepping up to her, they both looked until they found one most suitable for Rip's tastes; a softly padded pine coffin of her size with a single bronze handle on each end and no engravings upon the sides nor lid. Hefting the light load into the back of the wagon Rip once more took the reins and they set off in a quick trot back to Alucard's keep. The two female vampires arrived at the castle after a short ride along the road, both carrying their cargo through the heavy doors after Rip had ordered the horse to return to its owner.

Seras had to suppress a shudder as the portals opened of their own accord, the effect startling her more sensible side though she realized Alucard merely knew they had returned. Completely turning the coffin over to Rip she stood in the main hall and reached out her senses, feeling the presence of her mate and Michael down the hallway leading to the catacombs. Slowly walking along the long corridor her search led her to stand behind a large portal she had not yet explored, the muffled sounds of voices drifting through the heavy wood.

Grasping the old iron handle Seras opened the door and stepped in, giving the two male occupants of the room a smile as they turned to her. Her pleasantry nearly faltered at the looks the two vampires before her held, serious expressions marking their faces as Michael bowed low to both of them and leaving them alone. The young vampire cautiously approached Alucard, her mouth set in a line of worry as she looked into his quickly emotionless face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, settling a comforting hand on his arm. She pulled back her arm as she felt him flinch, taking a step back as her eyes widened in both surprise and hurt.

Alucard sighed as he watched his little mate shrink from his actions, taking a few unhurried steps toward her before wrapping his arms around her small form. He nuzzled her hair absently, soothing her slightly frayed nerves and feeling her relax within her grasp.

"The boy had news from the east" he replied slowly, watching her with a careful eye.

"What kind of news?" Seras hesitantly asked, looking up into his face with concern in her own ruby orbs.

"The boy has told me the Countess has sent out her minions to trap you" he said calmly, hoping to alleviate any fears on her part. Feeling her hug him tighter for reassurance, he continued. "Your blood is unique, if you are able to have a child, and she apparently wishes to find out how you were able to conceive" he spoke, a hand sliding down to gently stroke her stomach. "You will stay with me if you leave the castle grounds, which I'm sure the child will force you to do" he added with a light smirk.

Seras groaned as she remembered the need to feed off fresh blood, pulling away as she felt her stomach remind her of its hunger. The effort to handle Rip and the ability to control the coffin maker had taken their toll, and she gave an embarrassed smile as Alucard grinned at her. Sliding out of his grip, she walked to the kitchen with her mate following closely behind. Idly she wondered if he would even leave her alone within the confines of the castle as he practically became her shadow, watching as she retrieved a large bottle from the 'winery' and disposed of most of the blood by herself.

Feeling satisfied and knowing she was well protected with her mate close by, Seras opened a portal and promptly deposited herself within their stone coffin. Her mate arrived soon after she, sensing him watch as she settled herself into the comfortable silk. She hadn't lain on the soft cushions for more than a few moments before she felt sleep wash over her, pulled her against his chest as she sighed in contentment and happily wandered into sleep.


	5. Beginning Preparations

A/N: I sincerely apologize to all my readers. My thanks to Scurifer and Kiyuu-chan for pointing out several large plot holes and confusions. I have added scenes in chapters one and three and have added to the ending of the fourth because it seemed rushed. Hopefully this longer chapter will make up for my apparent laziness and stupidity. Also, if anyone knows of any other particular spots where there is confusion, please tell me and I will change them to be more understandable. Again, I apologize.

Beginning Preparations

Seras was rather abruptly awoken from slumber by a vicious shaking of her shoulders, her eyes snapping open to stare into those of Alucard. She scowled in annoyance at his rude behavior and attempted to release herself from his grip only to be held tighter. Any more resistance brought a sudden growl from her mate, a warning which shocked her into submission; but only for a moment.

"What are you doing?" she asked angrily, her voice nearly hissing into his face. The young vampire flinched slightly, mirroring her mate's movements at her sharp tone. She looked away, ashamed by her painful words, and her eyes widened as she took in her surroundings.

Seras was standing in the pantry beside the kitchen, broken and empty champagne bottles littering the floor and the many shelves. The walls and open door were covered in a red substance her nose and mind immediately recognized as blood, the thick liquid still sliding down to the cobble stones beneath. She slowly turned her shocked face to Alucard, her mouth moving but no sound able to escape in her befuddled mind.

"An interesting dilemma we have" Alucard commented with a growing smile, a strange glint of triumph in his eyes.

"What happened?" Seras asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her last memories were of laying down in the coffin for a good day's rest with the elder vampire's arms wrapped around her. "How did I get here?"

"The child became hungry and your instinctive side answered its call" he replied calmly, chuckling lightly. "The child apparently liked little the ancient and cold blood, and your beast grew angered with the child's disappointment. With the damage around us and in the rest of the kitchen there is little left of my storage of blood. We will have to go hunting soon." He added the last sentence carefully, watching her reaction with unconcealed interest.

Seras finally realized why he had held the triumphant look in his gaze. With the blood supply all but depleted she would be forced to hunt much earlier than planned, a thought which was not settling well on her conscience; but then, she wouldn't be doing the feeding merely for herself. She felt Alucard release her shoulders as she slowly rubbed her stomach, her fangs biting into her lower lip in indecision and worry.

Then a sudden idea occurred to Seras, being surrounded by the obvious attempts to stall her child's need for fresh blood. If her instincts were so willing to destroy the castle's own blood supply, she would be more than eager to find any foolish traveler or villager and drain their bodies dry. Possibly, if she drank from those she chose and in small quantities, her inner mind wouldn't be so willing to extinguish any life to feed its child.

Looking up into Alucard's face, Seras saw him nod his head solemnly at her ending train of thought; though the hint of victory at the corner's of his mouth did annoy her. Maybe in a few hundred years she would be able to show _him _some words of wisdom, though she much doubted he would listen to her regardless of her experience. With a sigh and a defeated shake of her head she walked out of the large pantry and right into a larger mess.

The kitchen was no better off than the room Seras had only just vacated, bottles smashed everywhere along with several dozen antique champagne glasses. With a groan at who would eventually be made to clean the mess, namely herself, she turned around to face the very amused grin of her former master.

"Is there any water around the grounds?" she asked, raising a brow in question when his eyes flashed. The young vampire took a step back from her very silent mate, his sudden change in mood and the almost lecherous grin on his face raising her guard.

Suddenly Alucard was standing before her, his eyes a deep crimson as he nearly crushed her shoulders in a strong hold. Seras stiffened as he leant down to her neck, his nose brushing against her skin as his tongue darted out to run across her tingling flesh. Then did the young vampire notice the state of herself, her clothing stained in the blood of the pantry and her skin coated thickly with the congealing liquid. She nearly laughed when she imagined what she now looked like to the master vampire who was now happily lapping at her chin.

Seras was now a giant blood popsicle.

"Alucard!" she yelled with humor in her voice, trying to push him off with no success. "Get off! I don't need you to clean me!" she protested, a small squeak escaping her lips when he growled and playfully nipped at her neck. "Bloody hell" the young vampire muttered as she had no choice but to accept his grooming of her person, though the feel of his tongue stroking her cheek was most distracting.

Finally, after several minutes of cleaning and some very pleasurable groping on his part, Alucard lifted his head to look into her eyes. The mischievous expression was still within the depths of his own ruby orbs, but the darkened appearance had faded somewhat; though some still remained.

"Perhaps you should find water" he spoke teasingly, considering her upper body was now licked clean of blood. "I believe a large well still exists in the castle courtyard, though a bath will have to be found to accommodate the rest of your body. Then again" and his eyes flashed once more at his next words. "I could assist you right now with the remaining blood."

Seras merely rolled her eyes and freed herself from his loose grip, walking out of the room with Alucard's chuckling following her. Reaching the main hall she turned her eyes to the stairs and noted the two hallways on either side of the grand staircase, both apparently the main entrances for the courtyard. Walking through the one on her left she eventually came upon a large wooden door, well barricaded in case an attack had breached the inner courtyard. Pushing open the rusty hinges, she stepped out into the dark night and looked around the space curiously.

The area was as Seras remembered from her brief view when climbing to the balcony those few weeks ago. She had been so distracted with the coming training the only sights she had been able to observe were the other two wings of the castle on either side of the enclosure and the gate at the far end. Now she had a full and clear view of the courtyard, and she found the experience to be what she expected.

Though the gates of the once strong fortress were still intact, the hinges had rusted and now permanently held the iron shields in place, forever closed. The yard was littered with debris of old benches, crumbling outdoor stalls, and wild vegetation higher than herself; though they now lay toppled to the ground with their weight. A stone walkway was barely visible beneath the wreckage and plants, apparently leading to various entrances into the castle. With a sigh she turned to her mission, realizing finding the well amongst the ruins was going to be harder than she planned. With careful steps she began her search to her left, sifted around the many weeds and rotting boards. Shoving aside dusty planks and musty stones proved to be quite disgusting, a somewhat putrid smell of decay rising from her disturbances.

After several hours of searching Seras had nearly made her way to her original starting position when she pulled aside a large stone chunk of masonry from the castle to find her prize. She was so busy with her joy she didn't notice the person opposite her position, smirking as he watched her clap her hands in delight. A sudden chuckle brought her attention to Alucard standing on the opposing side of the large well, his elbows leaning on the rim and a large grin on his face.

Seras suddenly stopped her joyous shouts and narrowed her eyes, her form stiffening as she looked upon the amused elder vampire.

"You knew where it was all along, didn't you?" she asked slowly. Her response was a slow nod from her mate, his grin still in place. "And you allowed me to wander the courtyard for hours looking for it just to amuse yourself, didn't you?" Another positive gesture from the elder vampire. "Now tell me why I shouldn't throw you down the well" she spoke, leaning on the well in mock imitation of him.

"Because I found the bucket" he replied, holding up the wooden pail whose rope had long since crumbled to hairs.

Seras scowled and held her hand out for the much needed equipment, growling when he pulled the object back and shook his head. The young vampire was in great need of a soothing, if chilly, bath, the blood having long since soaked into her clothing. The distasteful smell of dried blood was continually assaulting her nose and she desperately wanted to change into a new pair of clothes with a clean body. Her skin was sticky where the red liquid still remained, making her shiver in disgust with every movement.

Then a wicked idea came to mind and Seras began playing her part.

"Well, Alucard" she said with indifference, pulling back from the well and turning toward the main castle entrance. "If you love the bucket so much I guess you'll just have to sleep without me for the next few days." She held her arms behind her back and looked forward, taking an unwavering step away from both Alucard and the well. "I'll just use my old room, if you don't mind."

Within a flash Alucard was standing before her, the bucket discarded where he had stood and his grin wiped off his face. He looked into her face with narrowed eyes, almost causing Seras to lose her act and laugh in his face.

"You will sleep nowhere other than my coffin" he said with a low hiss in his voice. "I will find a suitable bath for you and you will clean yourself and return to the catacombs. Understood?"

Seras silently nodded her head, bringing a hand up to her mouth to cover the snickers which were trying to escape. At her understanding Alucard left in a dark portal, leaving the young vampire alone to release her laughter. She clutched her stomach as her amusement burst forth, the look of anger bordering on horror on the elder vampire's face a priceless memory. Finding catching her wind and settling down she snatched up the bucket and was lucky to find a usable rope nearby; though the decrepit backpack lying not far told her the owner no longer had use for the equipment.

Tying a knot around the handle and slowing lowering the bucket into the darkened well, Seras held her breath for the first sign of water. She grinned as the container hit the clean liquid not more than a few yards from the surface, showing the well to be nearly full and quite able to use. Then the young vampire ran into another dilemma; how was she to transport the water to her bath?

An answer to Seras' question came in the form of Alucard, her mate appearing through one of his portals once more and holding two large barrels in each hand. With the both of them they quickly filled the containers, all the while the red-clad vampire still bristling slightly in anger at her earlier teasing, and they both walked through one of his portals.

Seras gasped as she looked at the room Alucard had taken her to, turning to him with a smile and nodding her approval. White tiles ran the length of the floor, apparently newly swept by someone, and the walls were free from cobwebs. On one side of the room was a long counter with a small wash basin and towels, while on the other a single large mirror reflected their faces in the dark. At the far side of the bath she noticed a deeply hollowed out area, apparently what was to be her bathtub.

"I had your companion clean the room, though she did so with quite a bit of arguing" Alucard said, chuckling as he remembered the small female baring her fangs and absolutely refusing to do such menial work. Only a threat of having her master come to punish her seemed to catch her attention and she cleaned the room without further fuss, though a Germanic swear word would creep out of her mouth.

"Oh" Seras said, having completely forgotten about her new companion. She wondered what the other female vampire had been doing during the evening, besides arranging the bathing room. The young vampire watched as Alucard walked over to the hollow tub with both barrels in hand and tipped each of the water containers, allowing the clear liquid to flow into the bath. He threw them aside after finishing, turning toward her with a hesitant face.

"I ordered her to find you suitable prey" Alucard spoke, noting her curious thoughts. He frowned as his little mate's eyes turned down and her hands fidgeting with each other in worry. "I gave her explicit orders on what you preferred" he added, his shoulders becoming less tense at her obvious calming, a small smile reappearing on her face. "She will return with her report and tomorrow you will hunt. Now, are you going to bath, or do you wish to remain coated in blood?" he asked, hoping to distract her thoughts from tomorrow night.

Seras nodded her head at his question, looking at the water and shivering as she placed a hand into the chilly liquid. With a small laugh Alucard stepped up beside her and placed his hand into the clear water, the surface immediately beginning to bubble with heat as the young vampire felt his power releasing heated energy into the water. He pulled back when steam began to rise, grinning at her and gesturing toward the tub.

"May I join you?" he asked roguishly as he slowly began to strip.


	6. Fetishes and Feeding

A/N: This is the EDITED version of the chapter, because the original exceeds the rating allowed on Fanfiction. The NC-17 version can be read on my website, if anyone wishes to do so.

Fetishes and Feeding

Later, with the darkness nearly gone, Alucard called forth his shadows and dried and dressed them both, afterward carrying Seras back to their coffin for a much needed rest. The following night they once more awoke at sunset, Seras almost hesitantly climbing out of the coffin. She quietly followed Alucard out of their room and up the many steps, feeling a strange unsettling feeling in her stomach with each step which she attributed to her growing anxiety. 

The master vampire led her to the main hall, waiting for the arrival of Rip and his mate's 'dinner'. The young vampire was nervously fidgeting with her hands, continuously looking between the elder vampire and around the hall. She still was unsure how the coming situation would play out with her conscience, wishing the child hadn't forced her to feeding off humans for a while yet.

Suddenly Seras' attention was turned toward the two large doors, one swinging open widely. Rip walked casually into the hall, literally dragging behind her a man wrapped tightly in rope. Stopping in front of the waiting two, she set the man upon his feet and held him by his arms.

"What did you find?" Alucard asked with a grin, watching in amusement as the human's eyes widened in fear at the people around him.

"He was murdering a young woman on the road" Rip explained with some glee, holding up the ragged man by the cuff of his shirt.

Rip grinned widely at the man squirming in her arms, her fangs revealed in the pale light. Seras shivered at the sight, the idea of being the captor both disgusting and tempting. The blond vampire winced as the man noticed the sight of the elongated teeth, the human yelling out as he struggled in the woman's grip.

Alucard noticed her hesitation, even after being told of the man's character, and growled in annoyance under his breath. His stock of blood would not be able to survive another pregnancy assault, while her refusal was also starving the child. He would either have to force her or coax her mothering instincts to feed off the fool cowering before them. However, both of which would require privacy.

"Your master will be arriving soon" he told Rip, stepping up behind Seras. "Attend to him as you wish."

Rip frowned but dropped the man to the ground, turning and exiting the hall through the front doors. When the last of her annoyed curses had died out in the distance Alucard turned toward Seras, his face impassive and his eyes unwavering. The young vampire gulped silently, looking between the still struggling human and the still vampire. Suddenly she found herself within the elder vampire's grasp, her shoulders held firmly and his face level with her own.

"Will you drink from him of your own choice?" he asked, his voice level and serious.

Seras turned to the man and watched him for a moment, finally closing her eyes and shaking her head. Though the hunger was gnawing at her, and growing with each passing moment, she could not kill the monster in a man's body laying at their feet. Her human morals were still stubbornly holding onto her mind, creating a guilt she knew was unhealthy in her kind. However, she couldn't control her emotions more than she could stop the world and so she still refused to feed off of humans.

And even with her child's health at stake, Seras still believed there could be another way to feed the baby.

"There is no other way" Alucard spoke in an almost harsh tone, having caught the conversation within herself. He looked her in the eyes for a moment longer before his own grew cold, his fangs suddenly dipping over his lips. "I see I must force you" he said in a resigned voice.

Seras' eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do. Her struggles, however, were useless as Alucard descended, his fangs piercing the skin of her neck as he began to feed from her. For a few seconds she continued to strain against his hold but soon the young vampire stilled, the full effects of his bite enveloping her body in a soft warmth.

After he had drained Seras of a large portion of blood Alucard released her, holding her shoulders to keep her from falling. Looking into her closed eyes he gently set her atop a fallen pillar, turning his attention to the quivering human. Striding over to the bound man he lifted the 'food' by the ropes tied around him, returning to his mate still seated motionless atop the column. Carefully he set the crying human next to her and took a step back, waiting.

His wait was short.

After a moment Seras stirred, shifting uncomfortably on the hard stone. Slowly her eyes opened, their depths clouded over with a strange mist as she looked about herself somewhat languidly. Then her gaze fell upon the now whimpering human, his own orbs locked on hers with terror. A grin spread across her face as her tongue darted out, wetting her lips as she straightened herself to a sitting position. Looking to Alucard with a questioning yet hopeful gaze, she hissed in pleasure as he simply nodded his head.

Turning back to the man Seras wrapped her small hands around his shoulders, her fangs dipping over her lips as her eyes locked onto his neck. With a quick movement she deeply buried her teeth into his throat, drinking greedily from the large wounds her bite created. The human gave one strangled cry and became limp in her arms, his breathing becoming ragged as the effects of her kiss washed over him.

Soon Alucard could hear the man's heart slow, then stop altogether as the blood was drained from his body. Seras continued to feed for a while longer, not wasting a single drop, and slowly drew back with some reluctance. Turning to the elder vampire, remains of the scarlet liquid dripping down her chin as she dropped the lifeless body onto the stone. Carefully her tongue slid out and she lapped up the final remnants of her feast, smiling lazily in satisfaction.

Alucard himself grinned at the content look on her face, knowing the child was also well fed. He leaned down and lifted the body away from her, looking with disgust upon the human before throwing the corpse toward the front door. Later the evidence would be discarded, but for now he had more important matters to attend to. He knew the effects of the blood would only last so long and prepared for a very angry female, one which he would not be able to injure into submission.

Soon Alucard's premonition became reality as Seras' eyes slowly became less glazed over, the young vampire shaking her head to wipe the last of the blood-induced drowsiness away from her mind. Then she became more aware of her surroundings, her eyes roaming first to Alucard standing before her and slowly to the body beside.

Seras held her hand over her mouth in disgust as the memories of the past few minutes washed over her, her eyes riveted to the body upon the floor. With stiff movement she slowly turned her head, her gaze traveling to Alucard's own. When their eyes met she seemed to break from her shock-induced trance, her lips curling up in a snarl of anger as she lowered her hand.

"What did you do to me!" Seras screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Alucard. "Do you think I'm just a puppet you can pull around!" she yelled, standing to her feet in her fit of rage. "That I can't handle the child growing inside of me merely because it's yours!" Dark tears began to appear in her eyes as she suddenly turned her back on him, her hands clutching at her shoulders as she bit her lip to keep from crying. "Stop being so selfish" she spoke in a whisper, barely heard by Alucard. "I can't be like her."

Alucard calmly listened to her anger-filled words, patiently waiting for her ire to calm. However, the mention of his former love caught his attention, and his wrath.

"Do not bring her into this argument" Alucard snarled, calming slightly when he saw Seras flinch. He sighed in frustration, gritting his teeth together and harshly rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Would you rather our child die from starvation?" he bluntly asked, almost growling out the words in frustration.

"Lord Alucard" a voice suddenly interjected, abruptly breaking the tense standoff between the two.

"What is it!" Alucard growled, swirling around to face a rather startled Michael. The look of terror on the young man's face was enough to keep the vampire from ripping his head off, but the interruption was not to the elder's liking.

"W-well, s-sir" he stuttered, loudly gulping at the sight of the vampire's bright red eyes. "I-I have n-news from H-Hungary" he informed, though his voice steadied as he spoke the next few words. "Elizabeth has sent out her best generals to capture Lady Victoria" he spoke, now standing tall against the possible onslaught of anger from the elder vampire.

Alucard, however, merely closed his eyes for a moment, silent though tense. Seras watched him mutely, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes still lit with anger. She waited with astounding patience, knowing their argument was not over with; not until the issue of blood was dealt with.

"Find your fledgling and bring her here, we are leaving tonight" Alucard commanded, opening his eyes and looking to Seras. "And fetch our coffin from the catacombs."

"Yes, sir" Michael replied, swiftly leaving the hall to obey the orders.

"Are you going to fight them by yourself?" Seras asked bitterly, knowing well the elder vampire would not let pass an opportunity to battle against his kind. She was slightly surprised when Alucard merely strode past her, suddenly stopping a few feet away.

"You are still my blood, child or not" he answered, looking over his shoulder with a grin upon his face. "I expect you to destroy the tainted blood which now hunts us."

For a moment Seras merely scowled at him, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. The mischievous look in Alucard's eyes, however, loosened her resolve to stay angered with his earlier trickery. With one last huff she dropped her arms and walked around the tall vampire, standing before him. She lifted her hand and pointed her finger into his chest with a firm poke, a serious expression upon her face.

"I will drink fresh blood for the baby, but I will decide when I feed off people" she stated firmly, punctuating her words with a stab of her finger. "And you will not drink from me without my permission, understood?" she growled, finally retracting her hostile finger and crossing her arms over her chest.

Alucard merely grinned widely and lightly nodded, stepping back and offering his hand to her with a small bow. Seras at first looked at the hand with slitted eyes, but slowly she reached out her own and placed her palm over his. The single gesture broke what was left of their dispute as she gave him a small smile and a nod, allowing him to lead her to the front gate.

Though Seras did turn to take one final glance at the corpse before leaving the hall.


	7. The Travelers' Encounters

A/N: Almost been a year since I last updated...definitely no excuse for that long of a wait.

The Travelers' Encounters

The two vampires emerged from the hall, the air about them slightly charged with their previous quarrel but hinting at the agreed compromise. Seeing Michael and Rip waiting at the edge of the trees surrounding the castle, the couple joined them.

"Is your lover's argument over with?" Michael teasingly asked, earning a silent snarl from Alucard and a blush from Seras. "I'll take those reactions as a 'yes' and drop the subject" he said, holding his hands up defensively. "Now" he said, changing the topic. "Where are we going?"

"To the north" Alucard stated flatly, looking to the mountains around them.

"Um, any more specifics?" the younger male inquired, a dubious expression on his face.

"No."

Michael shook his head in slight amusement, though he straightened himself quickly at a stern glance from the elder vampire. Giving a shaky grin he himself looked to the mountains to the north, shaking his head in concern. Looking to Seras for an answer to his aloofness, she herself shrugged her shoulders and shook her head in confusion. However, feeling curious herself about Alucard's motives of destination, she turned to the elder vampire at her side.

"Why that way?" she questioned, half expecting him to ignore her and the other half expecting him to give another cryptic answer. He surprised her once again with his answer.

"The Countess' castle is in that direction" he replied plainly, obviously not in the mood for much conversation that evening. "I intend to pay her a visit."

Michael's eyes widened as he looked quickly toward where Alucard gazed, his mouth dropping open in shock. However, he regained most of his composure, snapping his mouth shut and his brows crashing down in deep thought.

"You know it's not going to be easy, right?" he asked seriously, turning his attention back to the vampire couple. "I have only heard rumors of her sorcery and her servants, but no one truly knows her full capabilities."

Alucard gave the young male a look so venomous he flinched at the sight, drawing back a step in agitation. Michael shuffled under the glare, his eyes attempting to hold their gaze into the elder's own but forced to look away after a moment.

"Your information of the Countess seems quite thorough for hearing only rumors" Alucard commented icily, one brow raised and his body stiffening in practiced reaction.

Michael for a moment looked shocked, his mouth clapping down into a thin mouth as his eyes suddenly narrowed. Seras was surprised herself, the mild-mannered youthful vampire before her showing a personality she didn't know he possessed. However, the spell lasted no more than a few seconds and he gave an innocent shrug, looking to the mountains with one last resigned glance.

"I just know what I know" he replied, turning back to the silent group. "Rip" he spoke, not bothering to look straight at his servant as he addressed her. "Go fetch the coffins, our hunting is about to commence."

The mentioned female vampire gave a single eager nod, smiling with more than a hint of fang as she disappeared into the castle. For a short while afterward there reigned an uncomfortable silence, the only one visibly affected by the mood being Seras. She shifted from one foot to another, looking at the two males who stood stiffly near her.

"Well" Michael spoke up, clapping his hands together as he looked between his remaining companions. The mood disappeared with the single movement, easing Seras' tension. "How are we going to travel? The skies are the fastest, so maybe the ladies wou-"

"They will follow us by a more direct route" Alucard suddenly interrupted, stepping toward the wagon. "My contacts in these countries have long since been destroyed and the peasants won't feel inclined to board us. Therefore" he added, turning toward the castle a moment before Rip appeared with a coffin under both arms. "The coffins must be transported via the road and we shall follow in the skies."

Seeing the wisdom in his words, though still remaining hesitant, Michael nodded his head in agreement. Meanwhile, Seras was looking quizzically as Rip stalked up to them, her eagerness slightly dampened by the menial labor. However, what caught the young vampiress' attention was the unknown second coffin being placed in the wagon's back, turning her confused gaze between a disinterested Alucard and an amused Michael looking for an answer.

"My own coffin" Michael finally explained, giving a small smile at her unspoken question. "I had it hidden among the grounds after my first arrival, though I am sure Alucard knew where I slept."

The mentioned vampire gave no indication he was aware of the conversation, his gaze pointed to the distant mountains they were going to journey to. However, he was rudely pushed back into the near vicinity with a sharp elbow into his ribs, his head snapping back with a silent snarl to face his startled bride. Seras cringed at the ferocious look while the others watched on in shocked silence, their faces visibly relaxing as Alucard's face softened.

"My apologies, Seras" he commented almost coldly, glaring at the two watching. "I thought you were the boy. Take the wagon and proceed down the road" he commanded, watching them carefully as they nodded and reluctantly began the journey without the others.

Seras, seemingly rooted to her spot, wasn't sure she had heard correctly, particularly when Alucard had admitted to being caught unawares. However, her fears for her mate's sanity were all for naught as he came up behind her, his hands resting gently on her shoulders.

"We must be careful with how we act now, Seras" he spoke soothingly, nuzzling her hair softly. Seras slowly relaxed against his chest, sighing as he wrapped his arms around her. "Our enemies will see this as a weakness and exploit it."

"I understand" she answered with a happy nod, turning in his arms and smiling as she cuddled into his coat.

After a short time they broke apart, Seras happily walking beside Alucard as they turned and strolled down the road to catch up to their companions farther along. They reunited in a few short minutes, the other two having stopped just out of vampire ear shot and waited for them. Alucard gave a quick nod to Michael and transformed into a large bat, taking to the air even as the younger followed suit. Seras climbed aboard the rickety wagon, giving an uneasy smile to the cold vampiress beside her with reins in hand.

So the group began their journey along the dusty and rut-bound road, the way slow as the luggage bounced forward. For half the night there was nothing but complete silence among them all, the only sounds the hooves of the horse and the sounds of the night animals. Seras, bored with her surroundings and uneasy with her companion, looked to the night sky at the two dark shapes following overhead. She cocked her head in curiosity as she thought she heard the sound of bat squeaking hit her ears, but quickly shook off the notion as the noise did not come again.

For a few minutes after Seras' strange noises there was not a sound, stretching the time to the infinity until dawn. However, Alucard suddenly swooped low to the ground before the wagon, startling the horse as he landed gracefully in front of the wagon. Seras and Rip watched in confusion and curiosity as he transformed back into his human form, his face to the sky as Michael also alighted.

"Someone wishes to greet us" Alucard spoke with a wide grin, his eyes still pointed upward and now facing toward the mountains to their side. "Perhaps we should entertain them."

Seras waited nervously as her vampiric senses began to awaken to the coming battle, the wind picking up as though by magic as the noises around them ceased. Then from the shadows forms slowly appeared, crawling upon the ground in smooth motions. The horses, already uncomfortable with their driver and baggage, became almost uncontrollable as the creatures began to surround them.

"They've been following us for quite some time" Alucard spoke with disgust, his grin dropping off his face as his eyes narrowed. "Her messengers have certainly become dull in their abilities."

"But not in number" Michael added as more jumping shadows began to stalk around them. "I count at least thirty about us and more behind. Care to make a fifty-fifty game, sir?" he asked, his question directed toward Alcuard.

"How tedious" Alucard commented lightly, watching as the creatures circled them. "We've already played this dance with one enemy" he spoke, alluding to the encounter before his and Seras' trip to London. "The Countess seems to have lost all her flare."

"Perhaps we should leave her a message in blood?" Rip suddenly suggested, eagerly looking at the werewolves with a hungry eye. With no objections quickly presented she jumped down from the wagon, causing Seras to grab for the reins before the horse could bolt with its precious cargo.

"A fitting warning, I suppose" Michael pondered, watching with narrowed eyes as the enemies crept closer. "Though I believe a quick dea-"

His words were cut off by the sound of amused laughter flitting among the trees around them, the owner of the voice stepping out from behind a large group of the shadow creatures. The person wore a hooded outfit, their face and body covered completely by a plain brown cloth.

"You think it'll be that easy?" the person commented, an air of arrogance in their words. Seras was unable to decipher whether the stranger was male or female, so rough and thick was the voice. "These are werewolves specially bred by her ladyship and won't be defeated easily by you worthless peons."

One of Alucard's brows rose at the snide remark though he remained stationary, watching as the figure stepped closer to them. Rip, however, had removed her gun from her back at the person's appearance, the long barrel fixed on any of the creatures which would dare move first. Her chance at carnage came when the leader raised their hand and, with one last pause, brought down their arm and the shadows burst from the forest.

The group saw they were indeed some sort of wolves, thought whether they had been human once was a matter of opinion. Their fur cloaked their entire bodies with claws and fangs abnormally long. Their body composition forced them to crouch low to the ground like a predatory hound and their bulk was so large the muscles could be seen rippling in a wave as they moved around them.

With a wide grin Rip opened fire on one of the largest, hitting her mark square in the head and dropping the body as the head literally exploded. Michael joined the fray with a sudden snarl and he jumped into the thickest part of the group, his fingernails growing to match the beasts' own as he swiped at them with precision. Many fell with their flesh skinned off their bones and others were quickly decapitated. Alucard merely destroyed those who approached him with a thick wall of darkness, trapping them in his shadows and suffocating them quickly by crushing their throats.

Seras, meanwhile, as the least experienced and without her trusty harkonnen barely managed to dodge the blows which were aimed at her. However, she soon noticed a pattern where the beasts were trying to lead her away from the others while not managing to kill her. The realization struck her that they were going to capture her alive, to take her to their mistress she assumed. The possibilities of what the Countess would do to her, and especially her child, surfaced in her mind and she snarled in anger.

Seras stopped shifting backwards towards the woods and stood firm, feeling as the darkness within her surfaced and wrapped around her. The familiar feeling of power ran through her body as she grinned in the rush of vampiric adrenaline, holding her hand before her and watching as the nailed grew to several inches long. With her bare hands she began tearing apart the enemy, knowing to do otherwise would give them another chance at harming both her and her child. Blood and flesh flew in all directions as she dwindled the numbers around her, losing herself in the thrill of the power and protection of her child.

By the time the carnage of battle was over Seras was still partially transformed, her hair still long and her teeth razor sharp. The others of the group had easily beaten back their foes, though Rip and Michael appeared to be tired from the exertion of the conflict. Alucard stepped toward the figure still standing among the trees, their stance still cocky but less composed than before.

"If you've had your fill of fun for the night, then I'll be going" the figure spoke, turning smoothly and disappearing into the darkness beyond.

With one last disgusted look Alucard turned his gaze on his bride, grinning slightly as her dark eyes searched for more enemies. Seras' narrowed dark eyes quickly found Michael, baring her teeth as she took a defensive position against him. She growled lowly in her throat, raising her hands to reveal the lengthened claws torn through her gloves. The blood from her battle still dripped from her clothes as she slowly approached Michael, a wide, wicked grin growing upon her face.

"Um, Seras?" Michael asked nervously, taking a few cautious steps backward. He stopped his retreat, however, when a low, threatening growl rose from the vampiress' lips. "Seras, don't you know who I am?" he asked, looking to Alucard. "Um, a little help here?"

"She will not listen nor recognize you" Alucard calmly spoke, coming up to stand next to the younger male. "She does not know how to control her bloodlust state when with child and currently only thinks to protect her unborn from everyone."

"Well, that solves everything" he sarcastically commented, dropping his stiff stance at the elder's calm attitude. "But how are we going to get her out of this if she is unable to recognize us?" Michael questioned, flinching as another growl escaped Seras' throat.

"She will recognize me" Alucard firmly answered, striding confidently toward the young female. "Seras" he called, reaching out a hand only to have it swiped at. However, he was undeterred and refused to retract it, instead grabbing Seras' own and pulling her against him. "Calm down" he firmly ordered, his command pulling some of the insanity from her eyes. "Remember whose blood you have in your veins."

Seras' eyes snapped wide open at those words, blinking several times as she looked at the faces of Michael and Rip as they slowly approached her. She hung her head as she realized what had happened, breathing deeply and bringing a hand up to her forehead in dismay.

"Again?" she asked calmly, feeling as Alucard nodded behind her. With a small sigh she looked up and gave a small smile to the group. "These mood swings are murder" she said jokingly, getting a returned smile from Michael and an annoyed look from Rip.

"Now if we can catch the horse and wagon we will be ready for the rest of our journey tonight" Michael commented, pointing to where the said objects had last been seen. All that remained was empty air and several deep hoof prints where the horse had driven into the ground in its sudden dash from the encirclement of werewolves who now lay scattered about them. "Rip, you had better find them" he added with a small laugh, shrugging when she gave him a glaring but obedient nod.

The horse and carriage were soon to be found a mile or so away, all the coffins intact but the wagon the worse for wear as the side boards had been broken in some parts. Realizing another encounter would happen, each took a mental note to carefully secure the horse to avoid a catastrophe. Soon afterward, when the horse had calmed enough to allow the girls to climb into the driver's seat and the group once more set upon their way.


	8. Disastrous Detour

A/N: 6/05/06 to 10/31/07 without an update, and without any excuse.

Disastrous Detour

The small group was quiet as they plodded along their route, the night reaching its high point as the moon lay in the sky above them. They were all alert for a fresh fight, to battle or entertain, and every dark shadow seemed to hold an enemy lying in wait. However, their road caused them more trouble as the path ahead split into two ways, one leading further north and the other slightly westward. Rip turned the cart toward the high road, but the bridles were suddenly grabbed by Alucard as he looked to the westerly path.

"I believe we have a slight detour to make here" he announced, grabbing everyone's attention and curiosity. "The way is off our destination" the vampire mused, closing his eyes for a moment. However, he opened them with a wicked grin upon his face. "But the rewards will be well worth the trip."

"Wishing to visit a lady friend at this time?" Michael joked, but his laughter was soon stifled by a deadly look from Seras. He coughed and straightened himself to his full height, his face slightly more serious. "What are your plans, Alucard?" he asked, earning a large grin from the elder vampire.

"I wish to purchase more toys" he replied, his response causing all to drop their jaws in amazement.

"You must be joking" Rip bluntly spoke, her tone unamused and her eyes holding a bored expression.

Alucard merely gave his customary chuckle and turned the horses to the west, mystifying the group as they were led away from their objective. Seras most of all was confused by his sudden interest in finding new "toys." She knew well enough he was pleased with the Jackal, and the young bride wondered about his secretive nature which had arisen since the introduction of their new traveling companions.

"_So distrusting of me, Seras?"_ Alucard suddenly spoke in her mind, startling her enough to almost fall off the box of the wagon.

"_Don't do that!"_ she scolded as she gave a threatening scowl to her mate, all to no effect.

"_Ah, but I believe as your husband I have every right to do with you as I wish" _he replied with a wicked smile in her direction, his teeth glistening in the moonlight.

Seras didn't bother giving him an answer, but rather turned her head away with a fling of her short hair. She didn't have to put up with his revolving moods, even if she was his former fledgling. However, he would not let her alone without a fight, won in his favor.

"_Patience, Seras"_ he soothed, his mind seeming to gently stroke her own. She tried to brush aside his thoughts but she calmed with his affectionate tone. _"I will tell you all when my plan is played out."_

"_And when will that be?"_ she retorted, though with less venom than she had held only a moment before.

"_You'll see"_ Alucard answered with a chuckle, causing Seras to roll her eyes in annoyance.

Seras was about to return some witty remark when the peaks of buildings suddenly appeared before them, signaling a town ahead. She looked about as they entered the cities limits, the windows closed and the lights off for the evening. The air about the place seemed cold and foreboding, but she brushed off the emotion as one of paranoia.

Alucard led them through the maze of houses and shops, and stopped the wagon before a low, inconspicious business with a small sign above the wooden door. The advertisement read "Smithery," and their appeared to be a red raindrop painted below the scrawled words. The building seemed simple and unimpressive enough,but for the fact that the store's lights were still lit at the late hour.

The women dropped from the box while Alucard opened the heavy door and led the group inside. The small area they appeared in was filled with strange machinery hanging upon the walls, most made from metal but many created out of wood. Seras even swore she saw an iron maiden settled in a corner, but her attention was drawn to a small figure of an old man working at an anvil near a large chimney.

Alucard walked over to the gentleman and prodded him on the back, startling the old fellow as he turned about with a hot poker and hammer in his hand. Even with his speed the vampire was barely able to dodge the man's dangerous waving as he slowly calmed down enough to see he had visitors.

"Oh, you scared me" he said as he put down the works in a hot bucket and clutched his heart. "I thought you were death come for me."

"We could be, if you aren't able to supply us with what we need" Alucard threatened, though the man seemed indifferent to his words. "We wish for some weapons, old man" he impolitely addressed the elderly gentleman, though his rudeness was either ignored or not heard by the said person.

"What's that, you say?" he spoke loudly, revealing a slight case of deafness in his old body. "You wish for some women?" he asked, his words catching even Alucard off guard. "Well, I'm afraid there's none to be found here, and you have some pretty ones with you already, young fella" he noted as he gave the woman a polite nod.

Alucard gritted his teeth in annoyance, but before he could viciously mall the man for his unintentional insult, a hand was placed upon his shoulder. He turned to see Michael smiling innocently upward into his face, his eyes showing he could handle the situation. The elder stepped aside and allowed the younger male to lead the conversation, of which the elder gentleman seemed to have forgotten as he had returned to his forge.

"Excuse me, sir" Michael called, his voice slightly raised and his words pronounced clearly. "We'd like to buy some weapons from you. Some special weapons we heard you make."

His words seemed to have hit the mark as the old man suddenly stopped what he was doing and turned his eyes on the group, his gaze roaming over the vampires.

"Aye, I know why you're here" he slowly replied, giving a small chuckle. "And I know what you are" he added, earning an amazed expression from the two women. "But I'm going to need a bit of blood from you all to seal the pact."

"Um, excuse me?" Seras suddenly interrupted, holding up her hand to catch the man's attention. "But what exactly are you making for us, and why do you need our blood?"

"Well, you want weapons, don't you, vampire?" the old man asked, his expression one of impatience as she nodded. "My weapons for vampires are special. I need yer blood so no other person can use them, and so you can use them properly."

"Properly?" Rip interjected, giving him a disbelieving look. "I believe we can use weapons properly."

"Ah, but not these" he replied as he sauntered over to a large desk drawer in the back of the room. "These are my special ones" he explained as he tore out the wood from the bottom of the drawer and allowed the contents to scatter upon the dirty and cluttered floor. "It needs a pact with the owner to work, and the pact will only work with blood."

"Work? Work how?" Seras questioned, stepped over to the old man with Rip at her side as the men stood back with knowing glances toward one another.

"Work with yer dark magic, of course" the man responded with exasperation as a sound of glee rose in his throat. "Ah ha!" he exclaimed as he pulled forth a large box from the small drawer, one which seemed to have been hidden in the entire desk. "Here are my beauties" he announced with pride as he dropped the heavy case upon the ground, causing dust to rise.

Slowly, with much flare, the old man opened the case and within several guns were found to be laying upon a carpet of velvet.

"Pick your poison" he offered with a grin, his hand reaching down to grab a long flintlock musket. "I believe this would suit you well" he spoke as he handed the weapon to a surprised but pleased Rip. "And to you, kind sirs, I offer some handguns for your purpose" he said as he grabbed two guns and threw them to the two waiting male vampires.

"Nice arm, old man" Michael commented as he caught his small pistol while Alucard caught what appeared to be a modified magnum similar to the Jackal.

"And finally you, young lady" the old man announced, addressing Seras as he closed the case and turned to grab a large violin case beside where he was crouched over. He tried to pull the box closer, but he quickly became winded. "A little help for an old man would be nice" he hinted as he turned toward Seras with a scowl.

"Oh, sorry" she said as she grabbed the handle for the case and easily picked up the container.

"Now open it" the shopkeeper commanded, his voice showing the eagerness of a child at Christmas time.

Seras looked down at the case and unlocked the clamps, allowing one side to drop to the floor and revealing a large contraption made of wood tucked neatly into a board shape. She blinked in confusion and disappointment as she slowly took the object out, her hands gliding over the smooth material in appreciation, but not with joy.

"Well, what do you thi-" the old man was about to ask, but he cut his words off as his eyes suddenly swung toward the doorway. "I believe we have some company" he announced, his tone grave as Alucard and Michael themselves turned toward the door.

"You have better hearing than you put on, mister" Michael noted with a smirk, which the weapon smith returned with a hint of mischief.

"Keeps me young fooling those people" he said, nodding his head in the direction of the noises within the town. "But somehow I think someone's gone and made them too troublesome for me to deal with."

True to his words the group of vampires suddenly caught glimpses of shadows flitting about the walls of the buildings and within the alleys between the stone walls, their eyes tinted with red. To Seras' horror she noted the scent of human blood mixed with some strange dark magic, the kind which vampires held.

"Another welcoming group from the Countess?" Alucard guessed with a wide grin. Then he turned to the small group, his hand holding up the modified weapon while all could see the vein which he had opened to make the pact. "Shall we try our new toys?"


	9. Unsolvable Situation

A/N: A record time for writing a new chapter as a celebration for the 20k hit on my site.

Unsolvable Situation

The group, at Alucard's words, swept outside and surveyed the growing area of hostility. Each held their modified weapons, though the elder vampire was the only one with the pact. Seras was still confused over her case which held the strange object, but she had little time to wonder as the groans and growls of the creatures surrounded their position.

"But Alu-" Seras was about to argue with his previous command to play when suddenly she noted something amiss with the present scene.

Standing not more than a few yards from the group was a little girl clad in a light blue dress, her brown hair long and trailing about her shoulders. She was pale and held an unusual air about herself, all of which foretold the fangs which revealed themselves as she gave the companions a wide smile.

"Another of the Countess' playthings come to tease?" Alucard ridiculed with disgust as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Quite the ability you have, transforming normal humans into partial vampires."

The little girl only snickered in response as the figures from the shadows gathered about her small form. Seras could see the lengthened teeth within their mouths and the red tint to their eyes as they crowded about their mistress, eager to please her commands.

"Play with me now" the child spoke, grinning as from between the buildings came dozens of staggering humans. "And my new friends."

"Human-vampire hybrids" Alucard spoke with a snarl, his eyes swiftly moving over the group of people surrounding them. "The Countess seems to have employed the lowest of standards for her army" he mocked, raising a hand upward.

Instantly shadows deepened around them all, light turning to dark and vice versa as Alucard began to activate the weapon at his side. Tentacles crawled out of the growing balls of energy emerging from the darkness, even as the creatures began to close in around their tight circle. However, the small group of companions immediately noticed something was wrong. Alucard lowered his arm with a violent jerk, his energy dissipating in a quick flash of black wisp.

"Binding spells" Alucard hissed venomously as he slipped his new toy into a vortex. "It appears we will have to play by human rules" he commented with a growing grin, his arm reaching into his coat and pulling forth the Jackal.

"Wait!" Seras objected as she clasped her arms around his own. "You can't! You'll kill them!"

"That is what they intend to do to us" the master vampire countered as he growled in annoyance. "Have you forgotten our discussion on our nature so quickly?"

"No" she replied as she shook her head, but her eyes were adamant. "But this has nothing to do with feeding and they're not vampires, so they don't deserve to die!"

A long pause ensued as Alucard pondered her words, the shadows seeming to hesitate and wait for his decision as the child vampire watched with amusement. Rip and Michael held still their breathes for the outcome, wondering whether they would have a fair chance at either combat choice. Then the elder vampire sighed deeply and returned the Jackal back to his jacket.

"If the game goes against us, we will have to kill them" Alucard spoke as he grinned widely at the chance to use physical strength against his opponents.

"All right" Seras agreed as she stood by his side in her own fighting stance, prepared for the first attack.

The group had not long to wait as the first of the creatures sprang from beside their mistress and launched themselves high into the air. They came down upon the vampires but were easily repelled with a few quick blows to the mid sections and others were simply dodged. Rip and Michael mimicked the combat choice of their other two companions and withdrew their weapons to the sides, their movements quick as they also countered with their feet and hands to immobilize their enemies.

Unfortunately, Seras' mercy was proving difficult to hold as the downed opponents quickly sprang up, battered but not out of the fight. Others added to the fray and soon the four companions were barely able to dodge most of the attacks while they could only take the other hits. The situation was getting desperate and Seras could feel herself becoming reckless with her blows as the creatures began to stand, unwillingly, with bruised bodies and broken bones.

Then, to complicate the situation, the hooded figure from their previous encounter appeared beside the small vampiric girl. The person appeared amused over the ensuing confrontation and for the longest moment merely watched as the group tried to neutralize their targets without using deadly force. The outcome was a losing situation, and Seras began to see the fruitlessness of the situation she had placed her companions within.

"Stop!" she shouted as she threw a human vampire to the side and held up her arms.

To the young vampire's surprise the attackers seemed to obey her command, but she quickly realized the child monster had halted the mutants' movements. She had only a short time to act upon her rash plan before Alucard would stop her, and they would indeed have to result to killing every villager within the square.

"Oh, why stop?" the other general asked as they stepped forward toward the surrounded group. "The fun was just about to begin" the person spoke even as they withdrew their hood to reveal a beautiful young woman. She would have been lovelier had her face not been distorted by her hideous grin of ecstasy. "I would have enjoyed your wonderful carnage of these worthless peasants" she spoke as her hand swept across the hybrids.

"But I wouldn't have" Seras countered as she set a grim expression on her face. "I plea for a bargain. My willing departure with you and the humans are set free without harm."

"Oh?" the young woman asked as she raised a brow. "You wish to bargain with the three generals of her ladyship?" she wondered aloud as a strange smirk spread across her face.

"Three?" Seras heard Rip speak behind her even as a small laugh came from a nearby companion.

"I'm afraid my game is up" Michael spoke as he stepped forward with a bow. "Perhaps if Lydia hadn't spoke, I could have played for much longer a time."

"Master?" Rip accused as she approached him with a shocked expression upon her face. Her eyes were lit with a growing fury as she shook her head in doubt. "This cannot be. What do you mean by this?"

"I mean what I mean, Rip" the traitor responded as he stepped up to Seras, who quickly repulsed at his tainted being. He seemed slightly taken back by her movement, but quickly adjusted to her new attitude toward himself. "The game is up and it's time for you all to grow up and not be so naive. The Countess, or should I say, my dark mother has been very kind to allow us such a distance into her domain."

"Mother?" Seras repeated, not believing what she was hearing. "What are you talking about?"

"Treason, Seras" Michael replied as he laughed lightly. "Should it not be obvious. Even God has his Michael as his right hand, should I not be hers?" he asked, though his face then became serious. "But she only wants Seras, no one else" he explained, pointedly staring at the soon-to-be mother.

"Then, boy, I have no more qualms in killing you" Alucard spoke up as he leveled his new weapon upon the younger male vampire.

"Do so and I cannot guarantee your bride's safety" Michael threatened as he wrapped a hand tightly around one of her arms.

"No" Seras whispered as she shook her head and allowed herself to be led toward the other two generals.

"Don't worry about us" Seras attempted to sooth, rubbing her stomach as she gave him a soft smile. "We'll be fine. There's strong blood in us both" she whispered as a black void suddenly engulfed both her and the three generals.

The two vampires were left alone, both angered at the betrayal and prepared to take vengeance on their targets.

Seras watched forlornly as her mate and loyal companion disappeared from her view, leaving her in the company of a traitor and his brood as the dark mist around them dissipated. As the night sky once more glowed overhead she turned a scowling expression toward the vampire who still held her arm, his touch disgusting her senses. With a wrench she broke free and looked about to where they had arrived.

Seras was not surprised to see an ancient castle not far from where they stood, its towers looming over the surrounding countryside. Ancient and knotted trees stood around as if frozen in time while the ramparts had long fallen into disrepair. However, the faint sound of music and laughter could be heard within the walls, showing the monolith still held life. The two female generals began walking toward the large gates which signified the entrance as the traitorous vampire came up beside her.

"Come, Seras" Michael said in a polite tone as he offered his arm for her to take in her own. "The Lady wishes to speak with you."

"Don't use my name" Seras snapped as she bluntly disregarded his offer and strode ahead with the others.

Michael, a look of slight pain in his eyes, followed after his former comrade as they passed through the crumbling gates and into a large courtyard. Seras could see light shining through one of the numerous passages which dotted the inner walls, and the merrymaking was now much louder to her ears. She was gently pushed in the direction of the light as Michael came up behind where she had hesitated, leading her to growl in annoyance as she shot him a venomous glare.

Seras allowed the two females to lead the way as they entered the lit corridor and strode leisurely down the hall toward a large room. To her surprise, the way opened wide to reveal a banquet area filled with numerous vampires and servants laughing gayly and enjoying one another's company. However, everything stopped upon the arrival of the new visitors and all eyes turned upon the young vampiress. She blushed at the attention and was about to retreat to the previous passage when a single person stepped forward to greet the small group.

The woman was tall and slender with pale skin befitting a vampire, while her dark black hair shown out against her glowing countenance. The woman smiled graciously at the new arrivals, but Seras had the feeling the gesture of warmth was nothing but a cold facade. She was inwardly repulsed at her presence and tried not to show the fear which crept into her mind as the stranger approached the unwilling companions.

"A welcomed return for my generals" she announced as she placed a coddling finger under the child vampire's chin. "And I see you have brought what I asked for. Well done" she congratulated as her eyes turned fully upon Seras. "And my dear child" she cooed as she swept open her arms and strode toward the captive. "Welcome to my castle, my guest of honor."

Seras blinked in confusion at such a title given to herself and looked around as all the other guests nodded their head in agreement. They seemed like mere puppets bending to the will of their hostess, and she could only assume they were the prodigy of the Countess who surely stood before her.

"You have guessed right, Seras" the Countess spoke as she laughed lightly. "What quick wit and an interesting mind. Such great talent, also" she noted as she stopped mere inches from her unwilling guest, her hand reaching up with a long finger and allowing the claw to drag along her neck. Then her features turned into an ugly scowl as she noted the insolent look upon the young vampire's face. "Oh, but what a pathetic excuse for a vampire" she sharply spoke, suddenly drawing her nail roughly across the skin and opening a wound. The Countess looked at the blood with a hungry eye as her gaze wandered downward to Seras' stomach, a hand following her sight as she ran the fingers along the barely showing stomach. "Ah, but you will be useful, my guest of honor" she reiterated as she stood back and waved to the others to leave.

"What are you babbling about?" Seras questioned as everyone left the room but the generals. "If you wish for Alucard to sire you a child, he will never want to have a child with you" the young vampire snapped, shivering at the revolting touch of the elder.

"Oh, but you misunderstand me" she answered, her hand stroking along the pale skin. "I merely want your child."

"What?" Seras uttered quietly, her face contorting into confusion as she stepped back in defiance.

"I want your child to raise" the Countess replied offhandedly, smiling as she looked upon Seras' stomach with hunger. "A little brat to raise as my fledgling, and Alucard's progeny will do well for such a role."

Out of the corner of her eye, Seras noticed an expression briefly pass across Michael's face. However, the emotion was so fleeting, and the situation so dire, that she pushed the puzzlement to the back of her mind.

"You can't have him!" Seras hissed as she covered her arms over her stomach and growled in protection.

Around Seras a sudden vortex of dark shadows began to form, quivering in the air as the sound of wailing filled the room. Shards of ink ejected from the swirling mass as whips emerged from the vampiress' very being. The three generals covered their faces to keep the tendrils which shot out of the circle from damaging their eyes, but the Countess merely looked on in joy.

However, her amusement quickly ended as one of the whips suddenly cut into her chin, causing a thin line of blood to dribble down her neck. She scowled and, with one deft movement of her hand, cut into the wind with her own dark magic and knocked Seras to the ground. The mother's concentration was stunned and she was drawn into sleep as all her powers were too rapidly and harmlessly dispersed about the room.

"Interesting" the Countess noted as she stepped forward to loom over Seras' fallen body. "It will be a joy to see if having a son will bring me such power."


	10. The Castle Ruins

A/N: The second to the last chapter, and then this long-winded story will finally be complete.

The Castle Ruins

As soon as their opponents had disappeared, Rip slammed her hand into the closest wall. The brick crumbled away as a growl escaped her lips.

"He will pay for this" she whispered with a tremble in her tone.

"Possibly later" Alucard replied with an offhand manner as he stepped up to where the four had disappeared.

His approacj, however, was interrupted by the old man as he came striding up to them. He managed to kick a few of the humans upon the ground whom he must have disliked, as the puppets of the vampire child had collapsed after their exit. His smile was wide as he stepped up to the two nosferatu.

"So you wouldn't use my fine weapons on the humans, eh?" he asked as he kicked another person for good measure. "Well, perhaps they don't deserve much, but better than you would have given, I'm sure" the old man added with a slight laugh. Then his mood turned serious as he looked to where the opponents had left. "But I see you have other problems."

"Merely an unforseen quickening of circumstances" Alucard responded as he resumed his pace around the portal area.

Rip watched in confusion as the elder vampire strolled almost leisurely about the area, his eyes upon the ground as he seemed to concentrate on a single spot. He soon stopped his pacing, however, and simply raised his hand palm down to the ground. She was just about to call his attention to the matter at hand, but a gasp escaped her lips as a dark, thin light suddenly rose from the ground.

"Much better than I had anticipated" he spoke with a smirk as he turned to his sole female companion. "We can follow them through this portal, but the way may not be easy."

"I will be fine" Rip answered in a harsh and firm tone as without hesitation she stepped toward the darkness.

"Good" he returned as he looked to the old man. "Now we'll see if your weapons are truly as powerful as you say, Daedalus."

"My pleasure to serve you, Dracula" the old man bowed as he moved back to let them on their journey.

The two vampires stepped into the awaiting portal and were instantly transported to another destination. The companions looked about themselves, both to gauge the safety of the area and to view their surroundings.

Before them stood a massive ruin of a castle, its battlements worn by years of neglect and weather. Gnarled trees stood about its base and the area was dry and desolate between the sparse foliage. The moon shone high overhead behind the structure, giving off a long shadow which reached out menacingly toward where they stood.

"We have arrived" Alucard announced to the air as he looked to the castle's gates which stood not far from their location. "And I see we have a welcome party."

Rip snarled as beneath the shadows of the gate the little girl and Michael appeared. Their former companion greeted them with a smile while the girl looked toward them in some confusion and anger.

"How did you use our portal?" she questioned with slight ire in her tone.

"No time for idle chat, girl" the elder vampire spoke as one would to a child. "We have more pressing business to attend to."

"The mistress doesn't wish to see you" she snarled as she held up her hand.

At her beckoning ghouls suddenly rose from the dirt, their decayed bodies climbing from beneath the ground as their moans of agony echoed in the night air. They began stumbling toward the two, but Alucard seemed unperturbed at their approach. Instead, he took from his coat the weapon he had gained from the old man, and with a maniacal smile upon his face took aim with the barrel across his arm.

"Then perhaps we do have time for some fun" he commented as his dark magic enveloped his outstretched arms.

When the vampire lord pulled the trigger, the force of the blast caused Rip to skid backward several feet as the discharge drove through the ghouls. Their ranks were decimated as the bullet itself ripped through half the population while the shadows about the small artillery wrapped themselves about the remaining number.

The bystanders watched in morbid fascination as the dark tendrils from the bullet pulled apart the minions as quickly as the cartridge passed them. Soon there was nothing left of the child vampire's small army but dust and cloth, the likes of which soon blew away with the soft brush of the wind.

"My turn" Rip interrupted the silence as she raised her flintlock and aimed the long barrel at Michael.

"Oh boy" he spoke as he made a mad dash to his right when she fired.

Unfortunately for the child vampire, her reflexes were not as quick as Michael's and the shot was made faster by Rip's supernatural powers. The small vampire screamed as she dodged most of the blow but her right arm and part of her body were engulfed by a fiery red darkness, made worse by the anger within the shot.

The young vampire could do nothing to put out the flames as they quickly wrapped around her entire body and submitted her to a heated demise. Her skin flew from her body in patches as her clothes and hair fed the fire and she disappeared from the onlooker's views beneath the flames.

With one final wail the vampire's form disappeared and the fire dropped to the ground. Only ashes burnt into smolder as the air grew quiet, the child's final destruction almost mystifying the onlookers.

"I believe I'll leave you do deal with the remaining trouble here" Alucard suddenly spoke as he walked past his stunned companion. "There are still others to remove from the path to my bride."

"My pleasure" Rip snarled as her dark energy pulsed down her arms for another shot.

Michael seemed unsurprised and untroubled as Alucard created a black vortex and left the battlefield. Instead, he smiled and began walking toward his fledgling, his arms open wide in greeting.

"Well, I'm glad that's over" he called out to her with relief in his voice. "Now we can get down to the tru-"

"Halt" Rip commanded in a hostile tone as she raised her gun. "I will not let you live, traitor."

Michael stopped with some surprise at the weapon pointed at his person, but when she mentioned his new title he let out a great laugh which filled the air. His head shook as he dropped his arms and looked to his child in some disappointment.

"You are the only child I have created" he spoke, a small smile upon his face. "You are my world, my connection to this unlife. I will never harm you."

"Only a child?" Rip softly asked as blood tears began to stream down her face. The gun in her hand quivered as she tried to focus on her task and her anger. "I will prove to you I am more by defeating you."

"But you already are more" Michael replied, grinning widely as her face showed great confusion. Then his mood changed to a light tone as he now spoke in a bemoaning tone. "But could you really believe I am a traitor?"

"What?" Rip blinked in surprise as she lowered her weapon slightly in confusion.

"I truly thought I had raised you better than that" he scolded as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you actually think I could betray Alucard and stand here to tell about it?" he questioned.

"But..." his fledgling argued as she raised her gun again. "You took Seras, and you are _her_ child."

"Well, I'll admit both of those things are true" he commented lightly as he walked over and sat down upon a tree trunk. "But that was just all part of our plan."

"Plan?" she repeated in utter shock. "What are you talking about?"

Michael sighed and again shook his head forlornly as he gestured to another seat near him. Rip cautiously accepted his invitation, though she still tightly held her weapon.

"Well, you remember when Alucard and I were flying over you two on our way here?" he asked, and received an affirmative nod. "That's when the old boy really began questioning me" he explained with both a laugh and a shudder. "Apparently from the smell of my blood he'd figured out I was the Countess' child, and wanted to catch her off guard by using me."

"Why did you not tell us?!" Rip exclaimed as she frowned angrily at her sire.

"Because Alucard wanted both your reactions to be real, or the mistress wouldn't have believed them when I pretended to switch sides" he revealed with a tone of apology in his voice. Then he grinned wickedly as he leaned forward toward Rip. "You should have seen the look on your face when I spoke."

Michael yelped as he found himself upon the ground, a swelling bruise rising from his cheek where Rip had hit him with the barrel of her gun. She scowled down upon his prostrate form, but a gleam of mischievous lay behind her eyes. The young vampire male smirked and let out a great laugh as he rose gingerly to his feet.

"Well, now that I'm in agony and you know the situation, it's time for us to leave" he announced as he opened a black portal.

"Leave?" Rip asked as she stood to her feet. "But we cannot leave Alucard and Seras behind."

"Believe me" Michael spoke as he turned to her with a grin on his face. "They'll be just fine."

* * *

Alucard grumbled in annoyance as he blasted his way through the halls of the castle. Ghouls lurked about every room, and their constant presence was becoming quite the nuisance as he made slow headway through the passages. He could sense the presence of his bride close by, but was also aware the Countess was allowing him free passage as long as his stock of ammunition was depleted.

In disgust Alucard placed his weapon back within his coat and began tearing through the mindless minions, his hands quickly ripping them apart. After a few minutes with much ground gained, he finally glimpsed the door which he knew led to one of the old guest rooms.

As he came to the large wooden portal he was unsurprised to find the door unlocked. Carefully he opened the portal and stepped into a large, simple room filled only with a single old bedstead. Seras lay upon some dust-covered blankets, and appeared to be asleep.

"That's far enough" a voice suddenly spoke from the darkness as the woman from before stepped out of the shadows beside the bed. "She won't hear you if you call, either" she announced with a smirk upon her face.

"And why is that?" Alucard asked as he slowly began pulling forth his gun with his telekinetic powers.

"Because I've placed a sleep spell over her, great Dracula" she mocked with a light laugh. "And don't forget to mind your bride when you shoot that gun of yours" the woman teased as she reached out and stroked Seras' bangs.

Alucard snarled at her touching of his bride, and quickly pulled forth his gun with his hand. He anticipated her movements as she stepped in front of Seras, defending herself from any shot should he fire.

What she did not prepare herself for, however, was his sudden aiming toward the floor. With a great grin upon his face he released a bullet and his power into the floor, the sound resonating amidst the stone room as his opponent blinked in confusion. Then silence remained between them until she let out a few chuckles.

"The mistress told me you were unusual, but I didn't realize you were so foolish to waste bullets" she noted as a grin spread across her face.

"It wasn't wasted" he replied as something suddenly shot up from the ground beneath where she stood.

The woman had just enough time to see the black portal close between her feet as his tendrils engulfed her body and began their gruesome work. Her screams became gargles as her blood spilled out upon the ground and the bullet lodged itself in the ceiling above where she stood.

The second she exploded into ashes Seras awoke from her slumber, her eyes fluttering open as she slowly sat up on the bed.

"What?" she asked in confusion as she looked about her surroundings. Her eyes, however, lit up as she viewed Alucard striding toward where she lay. "Alucard!" she exclaimed in glee as she hurried off the bed and over to her mate.

The two lovers embraced in the center of the room, each relieved to have the other as blood tears of joy spread down Seras' cheeks. When they pulled back, however, her eyes turned to worry as she noticed a distinct absence.

"Where's Rip?" she asked as she looked for their companion.

"She is with Michael" Alucard explained as he sensed their expected disappearance from the castle grounds.

"What?!" Seras exclaimed as she pushed off from him in a panic. "We have to go help her!"

"There is no need" her sire revealed as he gave a short laugh. "Michael is no traitor."

"What do you mean?" she question as her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"He was working for me the entire time" Alucard explained with a conniving grin. "We were never in any danger of his betraying us, and the plan worked perfectly."

"Why didn't you tell me about your plan?" Seras spoke as she stepped up to him and stabbed an angry finger at his chest. "Couldn't you trust me?"

"Calm down, Seras" Alucard chided, catching her hand in his. "If I had told you, the Countess would have read your mind and destroyed him before the game had even started."

"A fine mess your game turned out to be" Seras muttered as she wrenched her hand from his, crossing her arms and turning her back to him.

Her sire was about to reconcile their differences when a knock was heard upon the stone archway of the open door. They both turned to view a human standing in the doorway, his clothes neat as he politely bowed.

"The Countess wishes to see you both" he announced as he gestured for them to follow his lead.

"Very well" Alucard replied as both he and Seras stepped forward and allowed themselves to be led down the hall.

After a few minutes of walking Seras began to notice hunger pains, ones which she was having difficulty ignoring. Then her penetrating eyes fell upon the human walking before them as she told herself the action was merely one of precaution. However, her thoughts were quickly flung aside as her view seemed to focus upon his jugular vein of their own will.

"I believe it would not be wise for you to eat our guide just yet" Alucard spoke, his words teasing but his tone serious.

Seras' head snapped up and she looked indignantly in Alucard's direction, scowling at his wide grin. She quickly turned her head away with an insulted flair, a silent form of disagreement over the elder vampire's opinion of her control.

Soon after the quarreling pair were brought to two large, wooden doors which were lay unguarded as a sign of welcome to the Countess' guests. When they stepped up the portals slowly opened, and their guide turned to them with a bow as light flooded the hall in which they stood.

"The mistress awaits you."


	11. Past Buried

A/N: Finally the final chapter for this long-written sequel. A thanks and applause to all who managed to hold interest for this long.

Past Buried

The two vampires found themselves walking into a large hall lit by high chandeliers and decked with fine, gilded tapestries. The columns which lined the walk toward a podium at the far side of the room were well-kept and glittered with precious jewels. Against the walls stood sentries of the Countess, their eyes watching the two visitors as at their arms they held fire arms.

Alucard led Seras and himself to the center of the room, where he promptly stopped and stared ahead at the darkened podium only a few yards away. His bride could see nothing but shadow amidst the area, which was strange considering the brightness of the rest of the room.

"Alucard" a velvety voice suddenly flitted upon the wind, the younger vampire looking around in alarm as to the direction of the words.

"Countess" Alucard responded with amusement, his eyes falling upon the darkest shadow of the podium as he deeply bowed.

"I see you had to save your bride" the shadow spoke in a patronizing tone as she gave a clear, ringing laugh. "With such weak abilities, it appears your bitch isn't suited to your blood."

Seras snarled as her insult, but Alucard placed a hand tightly upon her shoulder. The bride understood the message and allowed the snide remark to pass, at least for the moment.

"Jealous?" he answered with a grin as the flutter of movement from the shadow showed her anger at his remark.

"Hardly" was her bland reply as she stepped from the shadows. The Countess wore a dazzling dress bedecked with bright gold and studded with diamonds of every variety. Her long, dark hair was pulled back in a complicated braid while her sharpened white nails shone brightly in the light. "But I see you have destroyed my daughters" she spoke as she smoothly changed the subject. "And my only son has been seduced by your charms."

"He was quite willing to turn from your kindness, Countess" Alucard returned with a smirk. "Unusual for you to raise such disloyal and pathetic children."

"Oh, but I intend to raise the next one quite well" the Countess replied with a slight smile as her eyes settled upon Seras' stomach. "But I believe you have some qualms about my simple request?" she directed her question toward Alucard.

"Indeed" the elder vampire agreed with the humor gone from his voice. "We must discuss your proposal" he spoke as he pulled forth his gun from his coat.

"Using human toys, Alucard?" the Countess spoke with disgust, her eyes looking to the modified weapon venomously. "I think not" his opponent scolded with a smirk as the humans which stood along the walls of the hall suddenly pulled forth their own weapons. "You both may have great supernatural speed, but can you truly dodge so many bullets without risking the life of your unborn child? And what of your pride as a vampire?"

"You insult me, Elizabeth" Alucard countered as he tossed the gun to the side, opening his empty palms out before her. "A vampiric dual should indeed be left to powers alone."

The Countess threw back her head and let out a loud chuckle, her eyes glinting with the challenge. A look of dark mischief lay in her red orbs as she strode toward her opponent, her walk one of complete confidence in her abilities.

"You may have your great powers, Count Dracula" she spoke with a smooth tone. "But I know your true weakness."

"Do you?" Alucard questioned with doubt as he allowed her to circle his bride and himself.

Seras, however, was not so comfortable as she looked with suspicion at the carrion which walked around where they stood. The Countess' eyes seemed to hold a secret in their depths, and she doubted the truth would bode well for their trial. The young bride was especially vexed when the other vampiress sidled up against her mate and laid her head upon her shoulder.

"You still mourn over your lost love" she whispered into Alucard's ear, flitting away like an annoying moth to a flame as he turned toward her with an unknown expression. "Such a _human_ concept" she contemptuously added. "People die, especially the weak. Even strong vampires must give in to mortality" she mockingly lamented, brushing a hand along Alucard's coat. "Perhaps even your new bride will perish by your weak will" she added as she fixed her gaze upon Seras.

A hint of a smile grew upon Alucard's lips as she spoke, his maniacal grin finally appearing at the end of her speech. For a moment his body shook with the silent amusement until he threw back his head and began laughing insanely. The Countess' own smile slowly fell off her face while she stopped her circling and clenched her teeth as the other vampire's enjoyment faded into a menacing chuckle.

"My demons have been exercised, Countess" Alucard commented casually as he waved a hand in the air in an offhand manner. "Seras will not fall, and your time for talk is over" he spoke as a blast of darkness suddenly swept over his body. He grinned wickedly as his eyes glowed like coals. "Now the fun begins."

"If that is what you wish" the Countess replied as her own power flared up about her person.

Seras stood back as the two elder vampires launched at one another, their faces filled with glee at the deadly challenge as their dark auras collided. The young vampiress was barely able to dodge some of the offshoots of the collision, while some of the humans standing by were not so fortunate.

As Seras watched, those humans hit by a blast were instantly engulfed in flames and turned to dust within a few seconds. She was then mindful of her step as the auras revolved around the opponents as the two vampires slashes and clawed at one another within their created reality.

Seras felt helpless as she merely watched the proceedings, but her eyes were kept sharp for an opening where she would be of use. To her great joy the Countess was relatively unguarded on her right side, which was the side where the young vampire stood, but the opening was rare and short.

As Seras was still deciding on her course of action, the two battling beings broke apart and separated themselves by the length of the room. Each was panting from the exertion, but neither appeared bothered by the fight.

"I see married life has not dulled your abilities" the Countess remarked as she gave a small laugh.

"And yours are as sharp as ever, Countess" Alucard complimented with a grin of his own. "But as my bride and myself wish to return to our castle, I'm afraid I must make this game shorter than I would have it otherwise."

"Indeed, I also tire of your company" his opponent insulted as she held up a single finger.

Seras gasped as the humans who remained held up their weapons and aimed their barrels at Alucard. She could smell the silver which made up the bullets, and the scents of holy water and wolfsbane were also present. Such a mixture would not necessarily kill her mate, but the effects would leave him weak enough to be destroyed by the Countess.

"I'm afraid I have to play dirty like this, Alucard" Elizabeth commented with a small smile. "After all, we both know I probably wouldn't win in a fair fight."

Alucard growled his distaste as he looked about him toward the many weapons pointed in his direction. He calculated most would miss, as the hands which held them were somewhat unsteady, but a number would find their mark regardless of his speed and dark powers.

"Sorry to have to do this to you" the Countess mockingly apologized as she let out a laugh which held no regret. "But after you're gone, then I can have fun with your br-"

The Countess suddenly stopped mid word and stood still as her eyes looked forward and widened in shock, then her gaze slowly moved down to her stomach.

Protruding from her abdomen was a white glove, the hand small and clenched into a tiny fist. Seras stood behind the vampiress, her teeth gleaming with anger and wicked humor as she scowled at her captured opponent.

"I'm hungry" Seras spoke as she twisted her hand and caused an agonized yelp to pull from the Countess' lips. "I'm tired" she said with another painful jerk. "And I just want to go home!" she exclaimed as with one final push her arm struck the elder vampire's heart.

The Countess released one long, loud howl as she felt her heart explode. The small audience watched as Elisabeth's body collapsed into a mess of body parts, than slowly melted into nothing more than dust.

The hall was quiet as the echoes of the mistress' wails were swallowed by death, leaving nothing but a pile of ash. The human servants could hardly believe their eyes as their leader was no more, along with their chance at immortality. Alucard stepped to forefront beside his bride, a wide grin upon his face as he looked down upon his blood-splattered bride.

"I believe Rip and Michael will excuse us for a moment while we have ourselves a feast" he suggested as his eyes looked to the covering servants.

Seras smirked at her mate's invitation as her eyes grew blood-red with eagerness at the bodies which surrounded them.

"For this time, Alucard" she replied as she looked to the many meal courses which were steadily beginning to panic. "I will gladly take your invitation."

* * *

The moon traveled across the sky on a cloudless night as its light shone over the crumbling castle where the journey had first begun. The old village lay at the foot of the hill, quiet during the dark hours as all were aware of the occupants which had once again made their residence in the crumbling structure.

This night the content couple stood outside upon the field where they had met so many years before, their faces turned down toward the weed-chocked road which led to their abode. They were awaiting some old friends who had made a promise to return for a visit, and the time had come for their arrival.

Soon the voices of their company could be heard walking up the hill, their arguing causing a pair of smiles to appear on their hosts. Then Rip and Michael appeared over the horizon, their faces unchanged over the past few years and the fledgling's temper still uncontrolled as she shouted insults upon her master.

"Mommy, are they really happy together?" asked the child which stood at his mother's side. He looked to be about ten years old, with dark red eyes and the sandy-colored hair of his mother's own. His features, however, were as sharp as his father's as he looked to his parents in confusion. "They look awfully mad at each other."

"They get along well enough" Seras replied with a smile as she heard her mate chuckle on her other side. "And it will at least be nice to have another lady around to talk to" she commented with some vexation.

"Another lady?" Alucard asked with mischief in his voice. "Does that not mean we must first have a lady here to make two?" he questioned as one of his bride's eyes twitched.

The young boy, whom they had named Cain, watched as his parents proceeded to dive into their own argument even as the first perturbed couple reached where they stood. He dropped his head in submission to his fate as the adults around him argued like children, their voices loud enough to raise the dead as he turned toward the moon high overhead.

With his parents around, along with their insane friends, his undead life would certainly never be dull.

**The End**


End file.
